Do federal job stimulus programs work? See what our readers had to say and weigh in with your comments.

Here we present the results of the April 27ASIE-News survey.

A recent CNNMoney.com survey of private-sector economists revealed that the federal government's $787 billion Recovery Act - said to be on track to create or save 3.5 million jobs by the end of 2010 - neither raised nor lowered employment at the majority of companies polled. What is your opinion on federal job stimulus programs?

They are a helpful tool: 27.451%
They are of little use: 66.667%
They neither hurt nor help: 5.882%

Comments:

“Many more jobs were saved than created, but we would likely be in really dire straits without that influx of money to the economy.”

“The only jobs created were in the government!”

“The government does a good job at creating government jobs, but it is totally useless in all other respects. Cut taxes (we have the second-highest corporate taxes in the world) and make it more financially attractive for companies to keep manufacturing in the U.S. and you might be surprised how many jobs are created.”

“The money needs to be spent from the bottom up, not the government down. The same amount of money in tax reduction would have been spent by consumers on all levels, resulting in a market-based recovery and the creation of jobs to fill market needs.”

“Our company may not have survived if it were not for the Recovery Act. In addition to filling our shop with work for the next two years, it may have saved 25 jobs and ADDED about five more just to our plant. In addition, we have subcontracted work with other local machine shops. I cannot say how much (the Recovery Act) helped them, but it was certainly welcome work.”

“Imagine the economy without (job stimulus programs) - seriously. If the government hadn’t had faith in the U.S., we would have spiraled into anarchy and depression.”