On May 29, 2009 Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released a Wastewatcher describing the current status of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests that were released on May 12, 2009. The purpose of the FOIA requests is to highlight whether or not money from the economic stimulus bill, also known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), is going to benefit certain districts of members of Congress.
Update on CAGW’s FOIA Project
On May 12, 2009 Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) undertook an ambitious project to find out if members of Congress were trying to influence how the funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), aka economic stimulus bill, were being spent.
CAGW’s FOIA Project
On February 17, 2009 President Obama signed an economic “stimulus” bill, formally known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). More than $787 billion is slated to be spent through ARRA to help revive the economy.
Taking Taxpayers for a Ride
Most Americans have a favorite train story. When my parents took my brother, sister and me out West in 1966, we took the overnight train from Denver to Salt Lake City. We were awed by the beautiful scenery from the dome cars, ate well, slept comfortably, and enjoyed every minute of the trip.
Stimulus Bill Raises Questions
As the current version of the stimulus bill awaits a Senate vote and President Obama’s signature, there are still plenty of questions and concerns about whether it will in fact stimulate the economy and create jobs. As House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) states on his website, “We need a bill that creates jobs….” One would think that this would be the goal, except it’s not always the case with this stimulus package.
How to Build A Bigger Boondoggle
The media has settled on a politically palatable historical metaphor for the new Obama administration and it is Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Time made it official when it put a photo of Barack Obama as FDR on its cover for its November 24, 2008 issue. And FDR’s storied New Deal policies of the late 1930’s have also become a convenient, albeit simplistic archetype for the so-called stimulus package racing through Congress.
The Mayors’ Stocking Stuffers
In anticipation of the rapid passage of a $1 trillion stimulus package as soon as President-elect Obama and the new Congress take office in January, the U.S. Conference of Mayors released its wish-list of what it called “shovel-ready” projects that the Conference claims can be completed in 2009 and 2010 and will create 847,000 new jobs. With taxpayers already experiencing the worst holiday season in years, this is another big lump of coal in their stockings.
Railing Against High-Speed Rail
On November 4, voters in California will have a dozen propositions on the ballot. There are four bond issues, including renewable energy, veterans housing, and children’s hospitals. The most expensive – Proposition 1A – would provide for a bond issue of $9.95 billion to establish high-speed train service linking Southern California counties, the Sacramento/San Joaquin Valley, and the San Francisco Bay Area. The network would eventually cover 800 miles and enable travel from Northern to Southern California at speeds of 220 mph. The official estimated cost is $45 billion.
Pentagon’s Travel System Still Grounded
There are a lot of reasons to complain about air travel: overbooking, rising costs, delays, cancellations, uncomfortable seats, and rude passengers, among others. With all of these hassles, travelers do have a plethora of online travel services to try and obtain the cheapest flight. With the immense of amount of travel undertaken by the federal government and especially the Department of Defense, an online travel system sounds like a marriage made in heaven. Unfortunately, combining logic and the federal government is as easy as putting a square peg in a round hole.
Coconut Road Outrage
An update on the ongoing drama associated with what CAGW has dubbed “the immaculate earmark.”