I agree they create jobs, but those jobs then roll right into the "entitlement" programs like you mentioned. I'm talking more about the huge ass defense contracts that they pay out to help rebuild foreign nations.
Caved into republican interests? You mean actually were willing to bargain on the default situation as opposed to republicans who refused to bargain at all and just used the default as a trump card? The republicans were willing to see the US default on the economy instead of give up an inch of bargaining space.