U.S. Spending Billions on Rural Jobs, but Impact Is Uncertain

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is investing billions of dollars to promote economic development in rural areas by bringing broadband service and small-business financing to regions with chronic poverty and high unemployment.

But critics say the administration has little to show for its efforts, which highlight the difficulties of creating jobs in remote areas. They say the money has gone to areas where it is not needed, to promote broadband where it already exists and for industrial parks designed to attract business and jobs that may never materialize.

The Agriculture Department said it had provided more than $6.2 billion to help nearly 10,000 small and emerging rural businesses expand, creating or saving more than 250,000 jobs since 2009.

“Rural areas are important to our economic future,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who heads the White House Rural Council, established in June to aid job creation by increasing the flow of capital to rural areas. “It is important that people understand that a large portion of America gets its water, food, fuel from these areas.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/13/us/13rural.html?pagewanted=all

[Liberty Belle]

1. Our rural area doesn't want industrial parks.

They do want better transportation, so they can get to urban areas if they need jobs. How about some of those green tech jobs?

They also want more help for family farmers who can't afford rising water costs. The head of the farm bureau tells me that rural farmers here also want comprehensive immigration reform because they don't have enough agricultural workers anymore.

[No Elephants]

2. Besides Obama, who is to blame for this and what consequences will they face?

"They say the money has gone to areas where it is not needed, to promote broadband where it already exists and for industrial parks designed to attract business and jobs that may never materialize."


Billions of tax dollars. Do you spend your hard-earned money that stupidly?

Whether you spend your hard earned money that stupidly is your own business. However, why should government be able to spend your hard-earned money that stupidly without consequences?

[izquierdista]

3. Like there isn't a glut of industrial parks

Hello?! The industrial parks are empty because the jobs went to CHINA! Any business that would be attracted to one of these boondoggles is one that is poorly run and probably going to end up bankrupt. Smart businesses should have no problem finding a bargain building in this economy.

[Demeter]

4. Rural jobs for keeping rural populations

should involve goods and services for local use, and for export to urban centers/the world.

Not crappy paper-pushing jobs in industrial parks.