General

Does it pay to vote for Obama?

Federal funds are going overwhelmingly to pro-Obama counties

According to an analysis done by USA Today, counties that voted for Barack Obama have received twice as much federal aid money per capita as those that voted for John McCain. Of the $787 billion economic stimulus package introduced by the White House, $17 billion was earmarked for communities. The money is meant to pay for repairs to military bases, improvements to public housing and to help students pay for college. So far, the 872 counties that sided with Obama have received about $69 per capita, while those that went for McCain have had to settle for $34 per capita. That said, the numbers may not be a sign of political patronage. Between 2005 and 2007, those counties that ended up voting for Obama have collected about one-and-a-half times the government aid as those that went for McCain. Federal contracts and grants are also allocated based on formulas that, in USA Today’s own words, “have been in place for decades and leave little room for manipulation.”

USA Today

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