WASHINGTON — Much of President-elect Barack Obama’s effort of $825 billion or so to rebuild roads, bridges and other infrastructure won’t hit the economy for years, according to an analysis by congressional economists.
Less than half of $30 billion in highway construction funds detailed by House Democrats would be released into the economy over the next four years, concludes the analysis by the Congressional Budget Office. Less than $4 billion in highway construction money would reach the economy by September 2010.
The CBO analysis doesn’t cover tax cuts or efforts by Democrats to rush aid to cash-strapped state governments. But it illustrates just how difficult it can be to use public investment to rush money into the economy. It usually takes bids and contracts to announce such developments, which invariably takes time.
Overall, only $26 billion out of $274 billion in infrastructure spending would be delivered in the economy by the Sept. 30 end of the budget year, just 7 percent. Just one in seven dollars of a huge $18.5 billion investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy programs would be spent within 18 months.
Mishap puts Cheney in wheelchair
Vice President Dick Cheney pulled a muscle in his back while moving boxes and will be in a wheelchair for today’s inauguration ceremony. White House press secretary Dana Perino said Cheney was helping to move into his new home outside Washington in McLean, Va., when he injured his back. His doctor recommended that he needed a wheelchair for the next couple of days.
Court favors Cheney in lawsuit
A federal judge ruled Monday that Vice President Dick Cheney has broad discretion in determining what records created during his eight-year tenure must be preserved. Absent any evidence that Cheney’s office is failing to safeguard records, it is up to the vice president to determine how he deals with material, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled. At the same time, the judge rejected the Bush administration’s expansive view that Cheney alone has the right to decide what the Presidential Records Act means for his office. The judge found that outside groups suing over the issue failed to prove that Cheney had unlawfully narrowed the definition as to which of his records are presidential records that must be preserved.
Maryland: 40-vehicle crash kills 2
A pileup of 35 cars and five tractor-trailers on a snowy highway killed two people Monday and seriously injured at least a dozen, state police said. An inch-and-a-half of snow quickly fell around the same time as the pileup on Interstate 70 near South Mountain. Twelve seriously injured people were taken to a hospital. Troopers said they were looking for a brown minivan that was traveling west on I-70 shortly before the crash and left the scene. They said the minivan may have been involved in the initial crash that led to the pileup.
Cuba: Gitmo inmates declare guilt
Two alleged orchestrators of the 2001 attacks on America casually declared their guilt Monday in Guantanamo war crimes court. Ramzi Binalshibh and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the self-proclaimed architect of the terrorist attacks, were unapologetic about their roles. “We did what we did; we’re proud of Sept. 11,” announced Binalshibh, who has said he wants to plead guilty to charges that could put him to death. The judge must first determine if he is mentally competent to stand trial. This week’s military hearings could be the last at Guantanamo — President-elect Barack Obama has said he would close the offshore prison and many expect him to suspend the military tribunals and order new trials in the U.S.
Thailand: Sentence for king insult
A few lines in a novel that sold just seven copies have earned an Australian writer three years in a Thai prison. Harry Nicolaides, 41, was convicted Monday for insulting King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn in his self-published 2005 book “Verisimilitude.” The offending passage “suggested that there was abuse of royal power,” and caused “dishonor” to the king and the heir apparent, the presiding judge told the court.
Pakistan: Five schools bombed
Suspected Taliban militants bombed five schools in the northwest in their growing campaign against the education of girls. Militants — who have blown up or burned down more than 170 schools so far — had ordered all girls schools in the area closed by Jan. 15. There was no report of injuries. The attacks are a throwback to conditions in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, when education for girls was banned.
From Herald news services
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
