Obama summons nation's governors to Philadelphia to talk stimulus

As part of his oft-promised commitment to change Washington, President-elect Barack Obama is going to Philadelphia.

And he's gonna take most of the nation's governors with him.

Where better for America's first African American president to hold a kind of pre-inaugural economic summit than the city where he spoke about race, successfully defusing the lethal Rev. Jeremiah Wright bomb, and in the faded one-time national capital city where all those wigged white guys did all that political palavering on the hot days of the late 1700s to construct the written rules that we're largely still living by today?

Think the TV networks might cover this Tuesday session live?

Atop the agenda: The economy, in the midst of a perfect storm of financial and manufacturing breakdowns that could dominate much of the new chief executive's initial term.

Despite some grumbling about short notice, most of the nation's governors will heed his call for the meeting to talk about the impact of the economic crisis on state budgets. An Obama transition....

...spokesman calls the conference, actually at Independence Hall, a chance to address "the unique challenges facing our states.''

Pennsylvania has been a mixed bag for Obama. He had a generally well-received race speech there in which he refused to throw Wright under the bus until he did a few weeks later.

He had an embarrassing fundraiser tape-recording from San Francisco of Obama pre-primary denigrating smalltown (Pennsylvania) people as bitterly clinging to their guns and faith. He got a solid thrashing there from Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary (see photo).

And he won an electoral victory against the Republicans in Pennsylvania when it really mattered on Nov. 4.

Tuesday's will be a bipartisan meeting, hosted by Pennsylvania Democrat Gov. Ed Rendell, an avid Hillary supporter who once provocatively wondered out loud if a lot of his state's population would vote for a black man. The answer: Enough did.

Rendell is also current chairman of the nonpartisan National Governors Assn., and Vermont Republican Gov. Jim Douglas will be the meeting's cochair. Douglas says some 40 governors or governors-elect plan to attend the hastily-assembled event.

Rendell has dedicated his NGA term to advocating spending on roads, bridges, seweage systems and mass transit.

What a nice fit; that's just the sort of public works Obama hopes to have in a two-year economic stimulus plan to create 2.5 million new jobs by 2011.

Cost estimates range from $500 billion to $700 billion over two years, which is even more money than Obama raised from small campaign donors online. But no one's talking about where these billions will come from.

Rendell says Obama wants opinions on shaping the stimulus package. And, let's be honest, if the governors sent their package thoughts in by e-mail, there wouldn't be any nifty video footage of the new president in an historic place taking charge already. And Obama's reportedly had to give up his BlackBerry anyway.

The session will focus on what's doable short-run, even though designing, approving, permitting, inspecting, fixing and actually building infrastructure projects is never a shortterm deal.

One safe prediction though: The governors will suggest their states get the money for work there.

Rendell really likes infrastructure jobs, which by definition can't be outsourced to other countries. Coincidentally, this kind of government spending might be popular among union members. How about that?

Mark Silva, a crucial part of our blogging infrastructure, has more more detail on this story over at the Swamp.

--Andrew Malcolm

The Ticket uses no outsourcing or Chinese chemicals in its writing. You can safely register here to get automatic cellphone alerts of each new item's posting.

Photo credit: Emmanuel Dunand / AFP--Getty Images

Comments

[dan]

In Philadelphia we need a hell of a stimulus. 75 percent of the pools closing for the summer, eleven libraries and fire engines. It's really a pity. If there's anywhere that really needs help, it's us, a great colonial city that still hasn't lived up to it's potential. Philadelphia the next great American city.

[Peter Dukoski, Ph.D.]

I'm somewhat confused by the actions of Obama. Never in my lifetime has a president-elect assumed the office of POTUS prior to the swearing in ceremony. Someone please explain the arrogance of the lecturn sign "President Elect" and Obies daily news briefings???? Now we have Premier Vladimir Obama summoning Governors to Washington. The last time I checked George W. is POTUS and responsible for all acts and actions of the federal government. I'm appalled by the arrogance of the "Messiah." I believe he's reading too many press clippings or George Soros is ill-advising him.

[Curmudgeon10]

When all is said and done, a lot more is said than done. We're lucky Mr. Obama loves to wallow in this non productive breast beating so all the governors can feel included in the formulation of the "stimulus package."

Prediction: lots of platitudes and banalities will be issued to the press about the marvelous ideas germinated by all the governors. Net Result on Economy: zero.

[Marcos El Malo]

Well, Dr. Dubowski, i case you haven't noticed, the country is in a historical financial crisis. Maybe you live your life in such comfort that you feel no sense of urgency, but I think most Americans want and expect Obama to hit the ground running once he is inaugurated. This is meeting and many other "presidential" actions are preparatory. As a conservative, I approve, as I also approve many of his picks for the new team. Please, I urge you: if you cannot get over your irrational hatred, sit down and STFU.