"President sets guidelines for stimulus spending; Cautions states against waste, limits lobbyists" by Liz Sidoti, Associated Press | March 21, 2009
WASHINGTON - With states eager to spend their share of the $787 billion in economic stimulus cash, President Obama announced guidelines yesterday aimed at preventing waste and fraud and limiting the influence of lobbyists.
"This plan cannot and will not be an excuse for waste and abuse," Obama declared. To make his point, the guidelines specify that stimulus funds can't be used on projects such as aquariums, zoos, golf courses, swimming pools, dog parks, or casinos....
To help ensure that special interests don't stymie stimulus efforts, Obama said his administration would post on the Internet all requests by lobbyists who want to talk to any member of his administration about particular projects that would involve using the money from the Economic Recovery Act. All requests must be in writing, and details from meetings between Obama's administration and lobbyists about stimulus projects also will be posted online, the president said....
Telling lawmakers he's trying to lead by example, Obama said he nixed a request to update electrical and heating systems in the East Wing of the White House, the first family's residence, because it won't create many jobs or hasten the economic turnaround. Still, Obama lobbied for money in a future bill....
Nice lip service, 'bamer.
The stimulus measure says states will lose the cash if they miss a deadline or don't spend the money fast enough. But state officials across the country have had trouble keeping track of the application deadlines and requirements in the 400-page law. For weeks the administration had failed to disclose what the rules were, even though governors are required to sign pledges saying they'll spend the money appropriately.
WTF? Sign a PLEDGE? Like a LOYALTY PLEDGE, 'eh, Adolph, I mean, Obama?
"The American people are watching what we do," Obama told the National Conference of State Legislatures. "They need this plan to work. And they expect to see their hard-earned money spent efficiently."
Later yesterday, Obama discussed spending on the nation's infrastructure with Governor Ed Rendell, Democrat of Pennsylvania, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York, an independent.
Rendell said the group talked about creating an "infrastructure bank," an idea Obama endorsed as a presidential candidate. Such a bank would raise money for major national projects by issuing bonds that could be leveraged into even greater funding.Yeah, let's just take on even more debt, Ed.
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(Blog editor just shaking his head at the manipulations of the politicians and MSM)
Oh, and about that waste:
"Stimulus watchdog says waste is inevitable" by Associated Press | March 20, 2009
WASHINGTON - The chief auditor overseeing spending of $787 billion in stimulus money said yesterday that some fraud and waste are inevitable. He promised to try to keep it to a minimum.
Earl Devaney, chairman of the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, told lawmakers the problem will be aggravated by a lack of federal workers needed to oversee the spending. Federal agencies will have difficulty hiring enough skilled workers "to minimize the risks associated with moving this amount of money quickly," Devaney told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
What are they all doing?
Related: FBI Says Bailout Bill Encourages Fraud
Bush Blocking Investigation of Mortgage Meltdown
Representative Dan Burton, an Indiana Republican, said the industry standard level of fraud is 7 percent, and that would equate to about $55 billion in stimulus dollars wasted. Noting the outcry over $165 million in employee bonuses at bailed-out insurance giant AIG, Burton said $55 billion in stimulus waste and fraud would prompt the American people to "march on the Capitol."
I doubt it; they seem pretty well confined to the sofa. And even if we did, who would notice? Certainly not the politicians and media. Maybe it's time to make them notice, huh?
"The first time I took a pencil and figured that out, I was horrified to see it was $55 billion," Devaney responded. He said with a zero tolerance approach and a coordinated effort with local and state officials, the fraud could be minimized.
Legislation may be needed to provide funding to police departments, prosecutors, and others at the local and state level to help with oversight, he said.
WTF? Don't they THINK ANYTHING TROUGH DOWN THERE?!!!!!!
