Stimulus Transparency Fail

Posted September 28th, 2009 at 1.21pm in Ongoing Priorities.

The Denver Post reports:

The goal was to build a reporting system that allows the public to follow the zigzagging paths of dollars awarded under the $787 billion federal stimulus package. A financial GPS of sorts. But despite federal lawmakers’ pledge of transparency, the final stages of most money trails, along with key information about job impacts, will remain invisible to users of the Recovery.org website when it debuts next month.

Only details of a stimulus grant’s passage through its first two stops after it leaves the federal government must be reported, according to guidance memos from the White House Office of Management and Budget. That means billions of dollars will be untrackable and thousands of recipients will be left unidentified through the database, officials acknowledge.

“That isn’t transparent, and that’s the primary concern,” said Craig Jennings, senior policy analyst for OMB Watch, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank examining stimulus spending.

“You basically lose track of billions of dollars, and in many cases there will be a whole lot of interesting connections at the sub, sub levels of funding missed,” he said. “These are levels that need oversight to prevent waste, fraud and abuse.”

Officials with the Office of Management and Budget did not respond to requests for an interview.

Who could have possibly predicted this?

Author: Conn Carroll
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9 Comments

September 28, 2009 Bill San Antonio TX writes:

Instead of squeezing every dollar of fraud, waste, and abuse out of the “system”, we allow a broken oversight system to continue wasting and losing billions of dollars.

We are now borrowing, printing, allocating, and spending so much money that the waste can never be tracked. The amount by any definition is incomprehensible.

Congress should demand this stop but what incentive do they have? The truth is enough of them do not want to. Money is power. Why would Congress want to stop spending? They won’t even investigate or punish their own violators, unless it becomes so politically toxic they cannot stand by them.

The answer is always more taxation and more borrowing. Aren’t you glad government is looking out for you?

What is the incentive for the average person to even pay bills any longer?

September 29, 2009 Lynn B. DeSpain writes:

The transparancy Obama promised the Citizens of the United States, so far has been that of his lies, and misdirection, his shaming us before the World, and the embarrassment he is to all Real Americans who stand for Freedom and our Constituion.

September 29, 2009 Normca writes:

Watch television and print adds as the 2010 mid term election gets off the ground. That will tell you as much as the $18 million web site will about where the so called stimulus money is going. [Paying GE, CBS and CNN for campaign adds] 90% + is being held till the campaign begins. What would happen if another bridge collapses [hopefully with no cars or pedestrians on or under it]? That would be a shovel ready project where the funds were spent on TV adds. I’ll bet most of the needed projects, like bridges that have not been maintained will not be done under the “recovery act”. Just ask Joe - he will tell you where the money is going [after he remembers the web site address].

September 29, 2009 joan, connecticut writes:

Obama is too busy to answer General McChrystal about the dire need for more troops in Afghanistan, but has time to fly to Denmark, to use his community organizing skills in an attempt to persuade the Olympics committee to hold the event in Chicago. Is he the USA president or a huckster? Are our men and women lives in the war zone being put on the back burner by Americas commander in chief.I hope not!

September 29, 2009 Perry OK writes:

How many zeros in an american story? That is how we shall be remembered. So enjoy today for tomarrow our debt shall consume us and we shall be bound by ones CHANGE(CHAINS).

September 29, 2009 Jerry from Chicago writes:

Does anyone believe that this was somehow an accident?

They don’t want to to know where that money is going. It’s none of your business where that money is going. Who are you to be asking about this anyway, peon?

September 29, 2009 Ron, Oregon writes:

Just another sad day for America. President Goodwrench doesn’t have the time to tend to the war on terrorism, but has time for photo ops. He is the real terror threat to America. I feel very sorry for our troops in the Mid-East. They are getting little, if any, support from the so called Commander-In-Chief. I hope we live to regret this mistake of a president.

September 30, 2009 Becky from Northern Michigan writes:

Joan says:”Obama is too busy to answer General McChrystal about the dire need for more troops in Afghanistan, but has time to fly to Denmark, to use his community organizing skills in an attempt to persuade the Olympics committee to hold the event in Chicago. Is he the USA president or a huckster?…”

Joan, I had those thoughts too. But then again, I have always thought of him as a (talented) “huckster” from Chicago. I wonder how he will do with his wowzer huckstering show in Denmark? Do ya think they will succumb to his talent? What then? Chicago people don’t even want the Olympics due to the cost and the hassles.

September 30, 2009 Susan Zarowny, Detroit Michigan writes:

The Obama Mafia Boys never intended to be tranparent. They do not care what the average citizen wants or thinks. The American tax payers are their personal cash cow.

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