Monday, May 11, 2009

Are you REALLY surprised? Anyone?

A report from AP (of all people) shows that the people who need the stimulus dollars spent in their areas the most, those areas who have the highest unemployment, are getting the least (or NONE) of the money.  And the areas where unemployment is ridiculously low, are getting all kinds of funds.

Is anyone really surprised at this? Isn't this what the 'pork' fights were all about?  That areas with the most influential congressmen would get the money and it wouldn't get put where it belongs?  That and the whole octupling the size the bill really needed to be.

For example, Elk County PA, where unemployment is in double digits, is getting 0 (that's zero) dollars in federal stimulus funds.  But Riley County KS, where unemployment is 3.4%, is getting $56 million to build a highway, improve an intersection, and restore a historic farmhouse.  Restore a historic farmhouse?  Really?  What the hell does that stimulate?

And what else?  Federal auditors can't track the funds leaving DC.  Am I detecting a theme here?  Auditors can't track the $$ leaving DC to banks and financial insitutions for bailouts, auditors can't track the funds leaving DC for the auto companies, auditors can't track the funds leaving DC for stimulus projects.  But let a dollar be misspent in Iraq and you have headlines for a week.

Most open and transparent administration in history my ass.

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