Despite the fact that independent reports and analyses continue to show that “stimulus” spending imperils our economy in the long run, Sherrod Brown continues to push for “more of the same.”

Non-partisan Congressional Budget Office: stimulus actually hurts economy in long run. “CBO said that … the extra debt that the stimulus piled up ‘crowds out’ private investment and ‘will reduce output slightly in the long run — by between 0 and 0.2 percent after 2016.’” (Stephan Dinan, “CBO: Stimulus hurts economy in the long run,” Washington Times, 11/22/11)

• “As for the long-term situation, CBO said its basic assumption is that each dollar of additional federal debt crowds out about a third of a dollar’s worth of private domestic capital.”  (Stephan Dinan, “CBO: Stimulus hurts economy in the long run,” Washington Times, 11/22/11)

The Congressional Budget Office released updated numbers showing that the Obama stimulus provided for fewer jobs than originally thought.  “The Congressional Budget Office on Tuesday downgraded its estimate of the benefits of President Obama’s 2009 stimulus package, saying it may have sustained as few as 700,000 jobs at its peak last year and that over the long run it will actually be a net drag on the economy.”  (Stephan Dinan, “CBO: Stimulus hurts economy in the long run,” Washington Times, 11/22/11)

• “The nonpartisan agency also has changed its model for the spending’s impact on the economy, and the new calculations show the Recovery Act did less than originally projected.”  (Stephan Dinan, “CBO: Stimulus hurts economy in the long run,” Washington Times, 11/22/11)

We’ve Heard This Story Before

Ohio State study finds that stimulus destroyed private sector jobs. “New economics research suggests that President Obama's stimulus plan may have destroyed or forestalled employment, including more than 1 million private-sector jobs.”  (David Hogberg, “Study: Obama's Stimulus Cost 595,000 Jobs,” Investor’s Business Daily, 5/17/11)

• “Economists Timothy Conley, University of Western Ontario, and Bill Dupor of Ohio State University found that the stimulus resulted in a net loss of 595,000 jobs from April 2009 to September 2010.”  (David Hogberg, “Study: Obama's Stimulus Cost 595,000 Jobs,” Investor’s Business Daily, 5/17/11)

So Why Does Brown Want More of the Same?

Brown supported the failed 2009 stimulus so strongly that he cast the deciding vote.  “Although most senators voted shortly after 5:30 p.m., the 60th and final vote was not cast until 10:46 p.m. by Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio. … The White House arranged to fly Brown to Washington last night on a government plane after concluding he could not have reached the Capitol by a regular commercial flight.”  (“Stimulus Bill Approved,” Columbus Dispatch, 2/14/09)

Brown praised the failed stimulus for its long term economic benefits. “‘This bill will go a long way toward putting Americans back to work and our economy back on track,’ Mr. Brown said. ‘It includes critical infrastructure funds that provide immediate job creation while driving long-term economic development. It also creates a new generation of green jobs that will revive our nation’s manufacturing base while reducing our dependence on foreign oil.’” (Tom Troy, “Brown, Kaptur Back Stimulus; GOP’s Voinovich Rejects It,” Toledo Blade, 2/12/09)

… And Brown Calls for More Stimulus

“Brown said the administration of President Barack Obama has spent a lot of energy in efforts to right the economy in the last two years, but those efforts are not showing up enough in Cincinnati, Forest Park and other communities. He called for another stimulus package that would focus more on improving infrastructure.” (“Local African American elected officials share ideas with Sen. Brown at Urban League,” Cincinnati Herald, 5/21/11)

Democrats’ plan more debt and more long run economic demise.  “The widely anticipated defeat of the Democrats’ Rebuild America Jobs Act, which would have provided $60 billion for transportation infrastructure projects, marked the third blow to President Barack Obama’s jobs agenda. His sweeping $447 billion jobs package was blocked by all Republicans and two Democrats last month, while a smaller piece of that legislation — $35 billion to pay the salaries of teachers, cops and firefighters — suffered the same fate.”  (Scott Wong, “Senate gridlock: Both parties block jobs bills,” Politico.com, 11/3/11)

Brown voted to support this extension of Obama’s job-killing stimulus approach.  (S. 1769, Vote #195, 11/3/11)