Last updated on 2014.04.11
Oh, now I get what Sibby was talking about when he referred to the grand opening of the Rural Learning Center's Maroney Commons as "the communist takeover of Howard." The $6.5-million conference center, which has created a bunch of new jobs in Howard and will draw all sorts of professionals and other visitors to Miner County year-round, was built in part with stimulus dollars:
Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., attended the event and said the results of the town's hard work should serve as a model for other rural communities. The RLC came to life partially due to stimulus funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
"For those who say the stimulus hasn't worked, I tell them they need to pay a visit to Howard, South Dakota, and see the Rural Learning Center," Johnson said to applause [Anna Jauhola, "$6.5M Center Opened in Howard, Will Be Training Site for Rural Revitalization," Mitchell Daily Republic, 2011.08.19].
500 people came to the grand opening in Howard. More than a few of them probably bought coffee and lunch. Airstreams Renewables is expanding its renewable energy training programs to the new Rural Learning Center facility. This project will provide a long-term return on investment for Miner County and South Dakota.
But the Maroney Commons is far from just a brief in my files to argue the stimulus worked. Its importance transcends Sibby's and my partisan blogospheric jibes:
Key line from that video: "You can not always do it by yourself. You have to have a lot of partners to make it happen."
Sibby may call partnership and cooperation communism. The folks in Howard, whom we would be hard-pressed to call communists, simply call it getting the job done and doing good for the community.
Cory, I thought you considered crony capitalism to be fascist. This is a perfect example of the Democrats doing exactly what they hate Republicans for.
“You can not always do it by yourself. You have to have a lot of partners to make it happen.â€
The partners are taxpayers and future generations paying for expensive energy sources that cannot compete in a free and efficiently operated economy. The net effect is less jobs.
The stimulus helped move this project forward because it allowed the USDA to guarantee the final piece of financing for the project through the Miner County Bank. The vast majority of this project was funded through local donations and company partnerships. This project is a great accomplishment for Howard.
Elisa,
Thanks for showing us how fascism works right here in South Dakota.
Hang on, Steve. name the crony capitalists being enriched by this project. Who are the rich people or corporations receiving favors, and who specifically are the fascists handing out the favors? Dallas Tonsager of the USDA? I'm hard-pressed to find wealthy magnates in Howard, but I could be wrong. Enlighten me.
"name the crony capitalists"
General Electric is making tons of money in wind energy. They make the turbines, and in China too. GE was the biggest part of Obama's campaign contributions in 2008.
When business and community put in money also is typical of the way Obama spends stimulus money. People buying cars that got better gas milage then the old clunker had to put a lot of their own money in also. This multiplies the effect of the government money. This is a lot better than giving big corporations huge tax cuts to not polute. They should be fined if they do polute. Obama spends to help in a multiplier effect. Republicans pay people and companies to not do bad. Not doing bad should be standard, not rewarded.
I was at the open house/ dedication on Thursday. I was able to witness students, farmers, bankers, construction workers, people of all backgrounds/income levels all standing together on main street Howard witnessing the not only the brick and mortar birth but also the social birth of cooperation and community. Howard like many other communities will build it's future one person at a time, one new farm at a time, one new business at a time, one new idea at a time. When you embrace the future, you set your own course, your own chance at success.