Spend a lot or spend nothing at all, it didnt matter, the AP analysis showed: Local unemployment rates rose and fell regardless of how much stimulus money Washington poured out for transportation, raising questions about Obamas argument that more road money would address an “urgent need to accelerate job growth.”
Obama wants a second stimulus bill from Congress that relies in part on more road and bridge spending, projects the president said are “at the heart of our effort to accelerate job growth.”
Construction spending would be a key part of the Jobs for Main Street Act, a $75 billion second stimulus - - - - >

The Washington-based groups forecast is more severe than an estimate it made in July, when it predicted a 12 percent decrease. Spending will turn “marginally” higher in 2011, the group said today.
“The magnitude of the downturn has set in,” Kermit Baker, the groups chief economist, said in an interview. This years expected drop compares with a decline of about 20 percent in 2009. “Another bad year is the bottom line, but there are some prospects of recovery as we get into 2011.” - - - - >

Haners reluctance to spend is typical of contractors nationwide. This presents a huge problem for the Detroit automakers because truck sales are directly tied to new home construction. Pickup sales are on pace for their worst performance in 17 years, and GM, Chrysler and Ford still sell 91 percent of all full-size pickups in the U.S.
Even as Detroit tries to gain traction with new small cars and electric vehicles in a government-mandated shift toward greater fuel economy, it needs to sell more Rams, Chevrolet Silverados and Ford F-150s. Pickups often sell for $30,000 or more and typically command higher prices - - - - >

In fact, the overall economy is actually getting a small boost as more buyers walk into model houses ready to sign contracts and builders hire workers to pour foundations and pave roads.
Construction of single-family homes rose in July for the fifth straight month, edging up almost 2 percent to the highest level since last October, the government said Tuesday. Building permits climbed nearly 6 percent.
Each new home built creates about three jobs on average and generates about $90,000 in taxes paid to local and federal authorities, according to the National Association of Home Builders.
With new construction up 37 percent from - - - - >

Rising unemployment and reductions in business spending prompted the Washington-based institute to cut its outlook from January, when it predicted non-residential construction spending would drop 11 percent this year and 5 percent in 2010.
“Weve had a really rocky six months in the economy and in the construction sector,” Kermit Baker, the institutes chief economist, said in a telephone interview. “People are seeing a real tough environment out there and not a lot of incentive to invest in projects.”
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Despite the poor outlook, shares rose as investors seemed pleased with the companys cost cutting and hopes for increased farm spending.
Sales of Deeres green-and-yellow equipment slid 17 percent, sapped by a global slowdown that has dampened construction and dragged down crop prices. The sharpest sales declines occurred outside the United States and Canada, where Deere has expanded quickly in recent years. Deere said market conditions remain uncertain.
“Clearly, operations dependent on construction activity and consumer spending are feeling the full impact of the sharp downturn,” Robert Lane, Deeres chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement.
Farmers have grown cautious about - - - - >

The eight-week strike by 27,000 workers in Washington state, Oregon and Kansas ended after the Machinists union ratified a new four-year contract with the company Saturday.
The workers - among them electricians, painters and mechanics - began returning to Boeings commercial aircraft plants Sunday night, and the entire union work force is due to resume work by Monday.
The walkout cost the company an estimated $100 million per day in deferred revenue. Boeings commercial aircraft plants had been operating at full capacity amid a record backlog of orders before the strike began Sept. 6.
On Tuesday, Boeing officials said the strike had delayed - - - - >

In separate reports, automakers said Monday their sales fell in October in what may be the worst drop in 25 years.
Sales sank 45 percent at General Motors Corp., 30 percent at Ford Motor Co., 25 percent at Honda Motor Co. and 23 percent at Toyota Motor Corp.
“Everything we can tell about the economy just got weaker,” said Stuart G. Hoffman, senior vice president and economist for The PNC Financial Services Group. The manufacturing report confirmed the economy is falling deeper into recession, Hoffman said.
The manufacturing index had been hovering near what economists call “the boom-bust” line for most of the - - - - >

After the strike, Boeing factories resumed work. Machinists union members ended their walkout on Saturday by ratifying a new contract with Boeing. Members of the union, which represents about 27,000 workers at plants in Washington state, Oregon and Kansas, voted about 74 percent in favor of the proposal five days after the two sides tentatively agreed to the deal and union leaders recommended its approval.
“This contract gives the workers at Boeing an opportunity to share in the extraordinary success this company has achieved over the past several years,” Mark Blondin, the unions aerospace coordinator and chief negotiator, said in a - - - - >

Pictures sent from the Hubble have stopped, it has not been sending any back since another issue involving a camera reboot. Rescue options are being planned to regain the picture transmitting portion of the Hubble’s operation.
Officials had hoped to have the 18-year-old observatory back in business Friday, after it stopped sending pictures three weeks ago. But a pair of problems cropped up Thursday, and now recovery operations are on hold.
It’s unclear how long the telescope will be prevented from transmitting its stunning photos of the cosmos.
The soonest it could be operating fully again is late next week, said Art Whipple, - - - - >