Border Security as Militarized Keynesianism – Outsourced

I think we have found a proposal to increase government purchases that Republicans like:

Leahy said a proposal drafted by Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.) “reads like a Christmas wish list for Halliburton.” The amendment requires implementation and activation of $4.5 billion in technology and equipment to achieve full surveillance of the U.S.-Mexico border. “I am sure there are federal contracting firms high-fiving at the prospect of all of the spending demanded by some of our friends on the other side in this amendment,” Leahy said on the Senate floor. Leahy criticized the GOP-sponsored language for waiving standard federal contracting rules. “That is a potential we must watch out for — for waste and fraud,” he said.

Normally – this kind of largesse for military contractors should be roundly condemned by those who care about fiscal responsibility and/or efficient allocation of resources. But we are far below full employment and this seems to be the only form of stimulus we can expect from the modern Republican Party.