Editorial: 2d stimulus? Not yet

President Obama's $787 billion economic recovery plan hasn't made much of a dent in the recession, but taxpayers can't afford talk of another "stimulus" bill.

Like many Democrats, Gov. Rendell was hard-pressed in Washington the other day to specify how the federal government's plan is helping Pennsylvania.

At first Rendell offered a guess that the federal aid, $1 billion for the state so far, has created "a couple of thousand" jobs. That works out to $500,000 per job, hardly an efficient use of taxpayer dollars.

The governor went on to estimate that the aid also has saved up to 10,000 jobs. That sounds impressive, until you realize it's difficult to document a "saved" job.

The program undeniably has delivered modest tax cuts, needed food stamps, and unemployment benefits. It has also provided, according to state labor departments, more than 3,000 summer jobs for youths in Southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey.

Rendell pleaded with a Republican congressional inquisitor to give the stimulus program more time to take effect.

"I urge everyone to be patient," Rendell said.

People in Rendell's own party should listen to that last bit of advice.

As the unemployment rate has soared to 9.5 percent, the sluggish impact of the recovery plan has prompted some Democrats to float the idea of another stimulus bill.

Laura Tyson, an outside adviser to President Obama, said the $787 billion plan approved in February was "a bit too small."

Vice President Biden and House Majority Whip Steny Hoyer (D., Md.) said they are open to the idea. New Jersey Gov. Corzine has voiced similar views.

The only thing Washington should be open to right now is giving the current recovery package more time to work. Most of the money in the first stimulus package hasn't even been spent.

The prolonged recession might very well turn into a political dilemma for Democrats, but piling hundreds of billions more in debt onto the problem isn't a solution taxpayers can afford.

Deficits in Washington are on an unsustainable path. Even without a second stimulus bill, Obama's proposed budget would create deficits totaling $9.27 trillion over the next decade. That burden on future generations would dwarf the debt amassed during former President George W. Bush's tenure.

The more debt the nation piles up, the higher the annual interest payments. And as the federal government is forced to pay more on debt interest, it will have less available to spend on education, housing, prescription drugs, national parks, and other programs.

The recovery plan approved in February should have been implemented more quickly. But over the coming months, it still will provide needed jobs in the construction industry and other sectors. States facing a huge backlog of infrastructure repairs do need the aid.

Between the bailouts of last year and the stimulus bill, taxpayers have been forced to shoulder a gigantic burden. The government needs to be looking for ways to lessen that load, not add to it.