Obama Promises 'Massive' Public Works Programs

clipped from change.gov Yesterday we learned that our economy has lost 2 million jobs since the recession began 11 months ago. That's why, in today's weekly address, President-elect Barack Obama explains the key parts of his Economic Recovery Plan -- which will save or create 2.5 million jobs in the next two years. Watch Your Weekly Address now -- then send us your questions or ideas about how to fix the economy: Today, I am announcing a few key parts of my plan. First, we will launch a massive effort to make public buildings more energy-efficient. Our government now pays the highest energy bill in the world. We need to change that. We need to upgrade our federal buildings by replacing old heating systems and installing efficient light bulbs. That won’t just save you, the American taxpayer, billions of dollars each year. It will put people back to work.

He says this project will "create millions of jobs by making the single largest new investment in our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system in the 1950s."

Fixing the American economy by investing in America -- what a novel concept. This might be the one proposal that I find most exciting about Obama's presidency; a return to sanity and the belief that things that have worked in the past will work again.