The States Stand in Line for the Stimulus

Economic policies set in Washington quickly turn to questions of: How will the money help my state, my town, my job?

Vice President Joe Biden was the point man at Monday's progress report on the government's "road map to recovery." Before he and the president met with the Cabinet, Biden touted programs such as the "Make Work Pay tax credit."

"We've increased food assistance to people in need, and the people hurt worst by this recession," said Biden. "We've kept thousands of people on the Medicaid rolls, and we've added a thousand more. And we also have expanded unemployment insurance and increased it."

Biden's list touched on projects in education, veterans benefits, transportation, energy-saving alternatives, on down the list. President Obama stepped in to emphasize job creation, specifically expectations that 600,000 jobs would be saved or created. Republican critics question the validity of those numbers – and on it goes.

That's the view from Washington.

A little later, Biden led a conference call with regional reporters, where he heard concerns about specific projects from Pennsylvania to Texas to New Jersey. It was a reminder that when it comes to stimulus money, the overall picture means less than concerns closer to home.

It's tunnel vision – in one case, an actual tunnel, when Biden was asked about a new Hudson River project that is using federal funds. While answering the question – about concerns arising from the fact that the tunnel will not connect directly with Penn Station – the vice president mistakenly stated that it is designed "for automobile traffic." It's for trains.

A question from Pennsylvania was about funding for public television, and from Ohio and Maine the concern was jobs.

In my southeastern corner of the country, the South Carolina governor, Mark Sanford – under pressure from the state Supreme Court and hard-hit constituencies – has decided, under protest, to accept $700 million in stimulus funds.

Biden said he has weekly conversations with U.S. mayors and governors. With individual states facing budget shortfalls, many have put stimulus money to work shoring up the essentials, keeping police officers on the streets and teachers in the classroom.

Fifty states, 50 sets of priorities. It's a lot to track. A newly launched government site is one way to report what is and is not happening in your state.