Government spending pay-offs

This is Obama:

And think of what's happening in countries like Spain, Germany and Japan, where they're making real investments in renewable energy. [...] It's because their governments have harnessed their people's hard work and ingenuity with bold investments - investments that are paying off in good, high-wage jobs - jobs they won't lose to other countries.

At least in Spain those spendings have destroyed more good, high-wage jobs than they have created. But they have probably payed off in votes for the spending politicians.