ProgressVA: Romney to Hold Rally at Company That Received Over $500k in "Stimulus" Money

by: lowkell

Tue Jun 26, 2012 at 09:44:21 AM EDT

From ProgressVA; can we say "wild, crazy hypocrisy?" Can we say "Romney doesn't care that it's wild, crazy hypocrisy?" And so it goes...

Flip Flop Mitt To Hold Tuesday Rally At Salem Stimulus Beneficiary

Carter Machinery received over half a million dollars from American Recovery Act Romney sometimes opposes

Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney will hold a campaign rally Tuesday morning at Carter Machinery in Salem, a company that has received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the American Recovery Act, legislation Romney sometimes opposes. Carter Machinery received at least $514,499 under the Recovery Act; $146,175 in grants for generators and an additional $368,324 subcontract.

Romney, while supportive of a stimulus in 2009, has more recently flip-flopped to declare the Recovery Act a “failed stimulus scheme.” Romney's penchant for mind-changing seems to be rubbing off on his chief Virginia cheerleader as well. Governor Bob McDonnell recently acknowledged on CNN that the Recovery Act had benefitted Virginia.

“Mitt Romney has changed his mind so many times even he can’t keep his positions straight,” said ProgressVA Executive Director Anna Scholl. “He was for the Recovery Act before he was against it. Now that Bob McDonnell has said the Recovery Act worked for Virginia, Romney’s off to campaign with the folks who benefitted. Virginia families need a strong leader who will put us first, not a fat cat CEO whose positions change with the breeze.”

Background:

Carter Machinery Received $146,175 In Grants For Generators Under the Recovery Act. According to Recovery.gov, Carter Machinery Co. received two vendor awards from the Recovery Act totaling $146,175. The two awards were grants from the Department of Agriculture for $50,000 and $95,175. Recovery.gov, 6/29/09; Recovery.gov, 9/30/10

Carter Machinery Received A $368,324 Subcontract Under The Recovery Act. According to Recovery.gov, Carter Machinery Co., Inc, received a subcontract worth $368,324 for a ship repair project. The funds were awarded through the Department of Commerce. Recovery.gov, 3/8/10

Romney Slammed Obama For “Failed Stimulus Schemes.” According to Free And Strong America, Romney said, “President Obama knows where he wants to go, but he has no idea how to get there. Under President Obama’s economic leadership, more Americans have lost their jobs than any time in modern history. The on-the-job economic education of the President has cost American families almost a trillion dollars in failed stimulus schemes and, unfortunately, he’s still failing the course. Rhetoric, however soaring, does not put pay checks in pay envelopes at the end of the week. You can’t build a high speed rail system fast enough to outrun the President’s misguided regulations, higher taxes or lack of focus on jobs. Hopefully he is learning. American families are depending on him.” Free And Strong America, 1/26/11

Bob McDonnell Said On CNN’s “State Of The Union” That The Recovery Act Helped Virginia. “McDonnell, a potential vice presidential candidate who has sought to walk a tightrope between conservatives and moderates, acknowledged on CNN’s “State of the Union” that federal assistance aided Virginia in balancing its budget, but said it had no positive long-term impact. “Did it help us in the short run with health care and education and spending to balance the budget? Sure,” McDonnell said.” Washington Post, 6/3/12