Tracking Your Stimulus Dollars
EmailHERE is the new up and running Recovery.gov website, where the Obama administration says taxpayers can follow how the $787 billion stimulus funds are spent.
The promise: “As soon as the first dollars start to go out, you’ll be able to track where the money is going.”
We will try to hold them to that.
President Obama has recorded a video message on the website, in which he says "the size and scale of this plan demand unprecedented efforts to root out waste, inefficiency, and unnecessary spending. Recovery.gov will be the online portal for these efforts, publishing info about how the funding secured by the legislation will be spent in a timely, targeted and transparent manner. Instead of politicians doling out money behind closed doors, the important decisions about where tax payers’ dollars are invested will be yours to scrutinize."
The website also has an interactive map which shows a state-by-state breakdown of the projected jobs aimed to be created in each state.
HERE you can see some Congressional Budget Office tables on the stimulus bill — one that summarizes the estimated budgetary impacts of the legislation and another, more detailed table that shows the budgetary effects by title.
CBO estimates that enacting the stimulus bill will increase federal budget deficits by $185 billion over the remaining months of fiscal year 2009, by $399 billion in 2010, by $134 billion in 2011, and by $787 billion over the 2009-2019 period.
- Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller
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If only the banking and financial institutions could have this degree of transparency with their corporate welfare bailouts. Come to think of it, it’s only fair they should have the same level of scrutiny that welfare and disability recipients have.
Posted by: kathy | February 17, 2009, 3:46 pm 3:46 pm
HI — You are referring to Bush? The invasion of Afghanistan happened in 2001, after 9/11. Obama is increasing the number of troops there, based on advice from his generals, as he promised in his campaign. Neither a secret or a surprise, as far as I can tell.
Posted by: Jo | February 17, 2009, 3:55 pm 3:55 pm
concerned: Are you objecting to the details of that part of the plan, the idea of protecting the vulnerable or the choice of words?
Posted by: Jo | February 17, 2009, 3:56 pm 3:56 pm
he promised 4M jobs. I only count a total of 3.467M jobs. And why do some states get more projection than others even though they are smaller. What happened to sharing the wealth?
Posted by: DJ | February 17, 2009, 4:00 pm 4:00 pm
“Come to think of it, it’s only fair [banking and financial institution bailouts] should have the same level of scrutiny that welfare and disability recipients have.”
psst: there IS no more “welfare” …
If the corporate bailouts were expected to achieve parity with the paperwork-per-dollar standards of ANY benefit or bailout theoretically available to “ordinary” (i.e., poor or near-poor) Americans, there’d have BEEN no bailouts, and the Treasury would be trillions of dollars to the good.
Journalists and politicians who disbelieve this should muss up their hair, dress down, and go APPLY for Social Security disability (with its years-long wait and peremptory disqualifications), ANYthing to do with HUD (especially its landlord-serving Section 8 rental operation) … or sample the intake paperwork for the Food Stamps which are Porkulus’ poison pill for the poor.
Maybe the press should try this: it’s an OUTside possibility that the politicians manage to remain UNaware of the systemic sadism enforced on the poor, but I personally DOUBT they don’t know …
Posted by: Human Intelligence | February 17, 2009, 4:01 pm 4:01 pm
How many of those “saved or created” jobs will be government jobs?
And then taxes have to be raised to support an even more bloated system.
Posted by: mad | February 17, 2009, 4:01 pm 4:01 pm
Concerned in OH — the CBO report that the media fell all over turned out not to actually exist. I tried to link to a site with that information but apparently citations are not allowed. (That’s pretty annoying, since I like to use links to back up my claims, but those are the Disney rules.)
Posted by: Jo | February 17, 2009, 4:01 pm 4:01 pm
“What happened to sharing the wealth?”
The pols decided it’s easier to share the wealth only with the corporations and otherwise very rich who literally own the Congress. Go figure.
Posted by: Human Intelligence | February 17, 2009, 4:05 pm 4:05 pm
DJ –
The job estimates are just that — estimates. The usual range I’ve heard is 3.5-4 million, so the figure you quote is in that range. And the extent to which a state needs relief is only partially related to population. (There’s also unemployment, foreclosure rate and other factors.)
Posted by: Jo | February 17, 2009, 4:05 pm 4:05 pm
“How many of those “saved or created” jobs will be government jobs?”
Allowing the shills to combine “saved” jobs with “created” jobs means they can claim ANYthing, as long as there are 4 million people employed at all.
Government — ESPECIALLY police — positions are not inherently, under the present soft fascism, enhancements to er democracy … especially where government jobs worth having are dispensed by political patronage. Such as ahem California.
Posted by: Human Intelligence | February 17, 2009, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm
mad — the figure I’ve heard most often is about 90% private sector, 10% public sector (police, firefighters, teachers, etc., not bureaucrats)
Posted by: Jo | February 17, 2009, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm
If the transparency we’re about to see is as clear as the category names, we are in for a doozy of a time.
“Protecting the Vulnerable”
“Infrastructure and Science”
Posted by: MayBee | February 17, 2009, 4:14 pm 4:14 pm
Maybee — I think you need to read more than just the category titles.
Posted by: Jo | February 17, 2009, 4:16 pm 4:16 pm
Well, now we know what Obama was doing while Pelosi was baking the Pork pie!
He was playing darts with a US Map!!!!!
Posted by: Mike_C | February 17, 2009, 4:18 pm 4:18 pm
HELLO…
It’s all going down the drain to gov’t parasites and the unions. See you all go down in 2010. Jake, the REAL story today is the World Stock Market crash Today…DOWN 4%…WHY aren’t you and ABC on it? OH…no bad news in OBAMALAND.
Posted by: mark | February 17, 2009, 4:21 pm 4:21 pm
Jo:”I think you need to read more than just the category titles.”
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I think they need to rename the categories.
Science!
Posted by: MayBee | February 17, 2009, 4:23 pm 4:23 pm
“Obama is increasing the number of troops there, based on advice from his generals, as he promised in his campaign. Neither a secret or a surprise, as far as I can tell.”
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No, he said he was going in there during the campaign. What he did not say was how many billons per month…since he kept flappin his gums about Iraq expenditures at every stop.
Nor have we heard SQUAT about an “Exit Strategy”….Where are all the those liberals who were screaming a Bush because they said he had no exit strategy?
Same old, Same Old, Liberals judge others by one set of rules, then excuse themselves from the same rules!
Posted by: Mike_C | February 17, 2009, 4:23 pm 4:23 pm
O-DUM-AH.. bankrupting the USSA(united socialist states of america) is JOB 1
Posted by: DOH-bama Cabinet of Corruption | February 17, 2009, 4:24 pm 4:24 pm
It’s all going down the drain to gov’t parasites and the unions.
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I do wonder if they will post groups that have competed for the block grants and why they were accepted or turned away.
I’d also like them to denote whether those receiving grants were contributors to either campaigns or inaugurations.
Finally, I would like a way to track to see if the money going into these jobs goes to companies or unions that turn around and donate money to politicians.
Posted by: MayBee | February 17, 2009, 4:28 pm 4:28 pm
The markets are deeply impressed, ….oops… i mean depressed with Obama!
Yeah, lost of enthusism out there!!!
RAH, RAH, RAH, …..
We are going to have remake Animal House to make it relevant in today’s world!….
Flounder “May I have one Trillion marbles please?”
Posted by: Mike_C | February 17, 2009, 4:28 pm 4:28 pm
HOW MANY MORE DEMOCRAT SCANDALS ARE COMING, BURRIS LIES
CULTURE OF CORRUPTION CONTINUES
Media is in massive protective mode to protect slumdog democrats
Posted by: DOH-bama Cabinet of Corruption | February 17, 2009, 4:39 pm 4:39 pm
I do applaud the intentions. I just hope they are able to follow through.
I’m grateful to ABC news and Jake Tapper, because I believe they will follow up on this.
The best way to hide information is by pretending to be transparent. That’s what magicians do- they appear to be showing you what they are doing, but it is a diversion. I hope all journalists keep that in mind.
Posted by: MayBee | February 17, 2009, 4:40 pm 4:40 pm
I’m so happy that we finally have a direction and a plan to try and fix the mess Bush/Cheney left behind. It may not succeed, but at least its legal. (Yeh, I’m calling them criminals again.) Plus, all you out there — you don’t have to participate. Don’t accept the tax cut, or the job created by the plan, or the mortgage bailout, or the civil service that we would have otherwise had to give up. Seriously.
Posted by: hang | February 17, 2009, 4:44 pm 4:44 pm
The markets are deeply impressed, ….oops… i mean depressed with Obama!
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You’ve gotta be kidding me that world and domestic markets are being attributed to Obama by the same ilk who mockingly call him a Messiah.
Posted by: kathy | February 17, 2009, 4:45 pm 4:45 pm
It isn’t just about where the stimulus cash goes, but what sort of immediate positive effect it will have on the economy. How,long will the public retain patience? Three months…Six months?
Posted by: matt | February 17, 2009, 4:46 pm 4:46 pm
With the sign of the pen from Obama, the U.S. has has entered the lost decade.
I hope they save the pen he signed the so-called Stimulus package with it, so people 10, 20, 50, 100 years from now will see it to remind American citizens how a President in cooperation with an irresponsible Congress can bring a nation to its knees.
Posted by: Sally J | February 17, 2009, 4:53 pm 4:53 pm
hang:you don’t have to participate. Don’t accept the tax cut, or the job created by the plan, or the mortgage bailout, or the civil service that we would have otherwise had to give up. Seriously.
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Do you think I’ll be able to opt out of paying for this?
Seriously.
Posted by: MayBee | February 17, 2009, 4:53 pm 4:53 pm
Mike C – can you offer any explanation for what happened under Bush when the market lost over 5000 points.
Posted by: hang | February 17, 2009, 4:53 pm 4:53 pm
MayBee: No, you and the rest of your ilk need to pay for this. It is because of thinking like yours that we are in this mess.
Posted by: hang | February 17, 2009, 4:54 pm 4:54 pm
MayBee;
The more journalists will make the follow up, the more the stimulus will bear fruits. It sounds really nice. President Obama will be successful.
Posted by: RS | February 17, 2009, 4:57 pm 4:57 pm
The state-by-state breakdown shows jobs “created/saved”.
How does one measure a job saved?
How do they know it was saved? Saved from being lost? How do they know it would be lost?
This more Obama and Democrat party political double-speak.
Posted by: Will Stanton | February 17, 2009, 4:58 pm 4:58 pm
Those whose brains have rebounded from the non-event in Denver can find clues to the “transparency” trap by searching “Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board” (RAT) and reading around in blog entries there.
Who’s gonna be the “Performance” person (who supposedly chairs the RAT), now that Killifer was thrown under the bus? (Does Rahm Emanuel have any MORE relatives looking to live in DC?)
Posted by: RATS | February 17, 2009, 5:07 pm 5:07 pm
It’s been a tough day for Obama. He’s put in a full day.
Time for a vacation to Hawaii on taxpayers dime.
Posted by: sammy | February 17, 2009, 5:09 pm 5:09 pm
No, you and the rest of your ilk need to pay for this.
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If by my “ilk” you mean “taxpayers”, my ilk and I will indeed be paying for this.
Posted by: MayBee | February 17, 2009, 5:09 pm 5:09 pm
I don’t have time to read them. The stock market went down today because it show that Obama’s stimulus plans is not going to work. And, he has already broken promises and lied to the America people. He is the worse President in this history since former Pres. Jimmy Carter and Pres. Bill Clinton.
Posted by: anonymous | February 17, 2009, 5:11 pm 5:11 pm
The wingnuts promised me $50 million for some mouse in San Francisco, and milliions more for ACORN. I want to know, how come that doesn’t appear on the website? Where did that money go?
More Republican broken promises…..
Posted by: Flash Override | February 17, 2009, 5:19 pm 5:19 pm
This is a great idea!
I hope everyone also got a chance to check out the photo album on the website too. It’s very enlightening.
I find it so sad that the Republicans aren’t even willing to give this President a chance. He’s been in office for a month, and the “Party of No” is even further out of step with the American people than the day they lost in November.
He won 53-47 then. He’s winning 63-37 now. How low will it be three months from now? 73-27?
At this rate, by the 2010 elections, the GOP’s approval rate will be in negative numbers. So be it.
Posted by: Jan | February 17, 2009, 5:19 pm 5:19 pm
Concerned, there never was such a report. Sadly, you were misled. Maybe you should be more selective about your sources of information.
Posted by: Flash Override | February 17, 2009, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm
Will Stanton:”How do they know it was saved? Saved from being lost? How do they know it would be lost?”
If federal money is used to allow a state budget to retain 5,000 teachers rather than lay them off due to budget shortfall, it’s pretty straightforward to make some estimates. You could always get into the cites and run down the estimation methodology yourself
Transparency means they will give you the data. It doesn’t mean they’ll break down very complex issues into simple, two sentence summaries everyone can understand (that just isn’t possible in reality).
Posted by: jhw539 | February 17, 2009, 5:25 pm 5:25 pm
“The wingnuts promised me $50 million for some mouse in San Francisco”
A flat out right-winger lie. Seriously, and you have the nerve to call others “wingnuts”?
Posted by: JKS | February 17, 2009, 5:26 pm 5:26 pm
MayBee: “Do you think I’ll be able to opt out of paying for this?
Seriously.”
Move to a solid Republican voting state in the South. It is a matter of documented record that these welfare states receive 30-40% more money from the federal government than they pay so yeah – you could opt out of paying most of this. (The highly educated voters who voted overwhelmingly for Obama are also more likely to pay an awful lot more for this than you.)
Posted by: jhw539 | February 17, 2009, 5:28 pm 5:28 pm
The market tanking today had nothing to do with the stimulus package. I have been watching CNBC and some of the ‘market experts’ were talking a few weeks ago, that this may happen. Of course the GOP and the wingnuts will try and blame it on Obama but there are some of us who do our own research instead of believing the talking heads.
Posted by: jc | February 17, 2009, 5:30 pm 5:30 pm
Based on the U.S. Conference of Mayors list of “shovel-ready” projects though the stimulus bill doesn’t contain or mandate all of the projects, the execution by federal, state and local agencies will likely tend to follow such named projects.
Posted by: robert b | February 17, 2009, 5:30 pm 5:30 pm
NayBee: By your ilk, I specifically mean those who voted in the criminal republicans for not one, but two, terms. And please, quit acting as though republicans are the only taxpayers in this country. Aside from the fact that your numbers are dwindling by the day, so is your worth, thanks to Bush&Co. Democrats will, again, have to come to the rescue of this country after the mess made by republicans.
Posted by: hang | February 17, 2009, 5:33 pm 5:33 pm
“The market tanking today had nothing to do with the stimulus package. ”
Yeah, sure. It is just a coincidence.
Posted by: Sigmonde | February 17, 2009, 5:58 pm 5:58 pm
Most People have No Idea whats coming soon and how worse its gonna get, remember how liberals have been saying Bushs ‘Real Tax cut’ is for the rich only??, well guess what?, those expire next year and it will HIT you Big time.
But Dont worry, enjoy that $13 pay rise Obama gave ya!!, hahaha, most people are like sheep in this country, just follow and believe anything politicians say to them regardless of who’s in power.
Posted by: Aden | February 17, 2009, 6:00 pm 6:00 pm
jhw:It is a matter of documented record that these welfare states receive 30-40% more money from the federal government than they pay so yeah -
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So it’s bad to get more out of the federal government than you put in? That’s welfare?
Interesting.
Anyway, trust me. I know there’s no way I’m going to get out of paying for this thing. I only made that comment because someone was advocating not accepting any of the benefits of the bill if people don’t like it. Saying, basically, “just shut up and pay!”
Posted by: MayBee | February 17, 2009, 6:02 pm 6:02 pm
The market tanking today had nothing to do with the stimulus package. ”
Yeah, sure. It is just a coincidence.
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Actualy it did! It tanked because they think it is to small, probably to heavy on tax cuts. Thanks GOP
Posted by: Thinking | February 17, 2009, 6:07 pm 6:07 pm
I’m all for an effort to help get the economy moving again, but it will be nearly impossible to accurately to determine if a job is “saved” as a result of the stimulus bill. That is just government’s way of bumping up the numbers if things don’t appear to be working like they thought it would. I would be proud to say, a year from now, that the economy is better and people are working again, but what happens if this doesn’t work?
Posted by: bkm | February 17, 2009, 6:07 pm 6:07 pm
Actualy it did! It tanked because they think it is to small, probably to heavy on tax cuts. Thanks GOP
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The tanking wasn’t because of the stimulus package. The problem is far more more endemic than perception one way or the other on the package.
Posted by: kathy | February 17, 2009, 6:19 pm 6:19 pm
When are all of you going to get it? This is NOT about par affiliation-or I SHOULD SAY THAT IT SHOULDN’T BE! You guys are so busy bickering over the spilled milk yesterday that we are in this perpetual cycle of hell! Grow up and look at the next step. AGREE THAT ALL OF THEM ARE MISGUIDED AND MESSED UP! Let me remind ALL of you that you came in to this life with nothing and you will go out the same way! You’re NOT going to get buried w/ millions of dollars or the three Roll’s Royce’s in the garage or Armani suits, etc! The only thing you have are your principles and your integrity..we KNOW the politicians don’t have any (Burres today…just makes me sad) Stop turning on each other and focus on something better…like making the RIGHT decision rather than a decision made based on party name. They don’t care about you except your vote! Do you think any of them are going to give the money in their pocket to care for you? BELIEVE in them when they do that for you! Otherwise, open your eyes and look between the lines and see the truth.
Posted by: Truthsayer | February 17, 2009, 6:25 pm 6:25 pm
I am well into reading this bill page by page..It looks GREAT…help available for small business, farmers, and individuals-using the money to create returns in the future..I haven’t found anything to gripe about..I am not seeing any pork..lots of oversight..I am not done reading yet but can’t understand why 10 aides could not have taken 100 pages each and had this thing read in 2 hours…Excellent job..I am impressed-after the days of grousing by the repubs -i thought this bill must be a disaster and its not.Alot of the bill won’t affect me personally but will other people..
Posted by: cowgirl | February 17, 2009, 6:50 pm 6:50 pm
The market is tanking every day..Until the banking crisis is fixed…the markets are all about the flow of money and borrowing-until banks free up capital-we are froze up..in this stimulus bill-which those doe doe heads on wall street haven’t read are small business loans, and loans to pay your interest and principal for 6 months-there is alot of help in there to stimulate business-cheer up-its better than we thought—
Posted by: cowgirl | February 17, 2009, 6:56 pm 6:56 pm
The huge economic stimulus package that President Obama signed into law Tuesday will result in “lower wages” for American workers, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The CBO analysis, dated Feb. 11 and sent to Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), says the $787-billion plan will increase employment in the short-term, but will run up deficit spending which will “crowd out” private investment in the economy in the long-term.
The analysis concludes that the stimulus will put downward pressure on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and wages after 2014.
Posted by: Peach | February 18, 2009, 8:55 am 8:55 am
I think that giving money to banks and auto industries isn’t going to help the economy at all. In stead of giving billions to big companies, give the money to the average person with under 70K a year salaries. you could give each person in this group 25-15K. Then they will pay back the BANKS, they’ll buy HOUSES with a good down payment, they will buy NEW CARS ( I would), and over all increase spending. This would have a higher chance of bailing out the large corporations.
Also they need to pass a bill that states that if you buy American you pay little to no tax, and they can double the taxes of imported goods to help put the spending focus on American products, especially in the auto industry. I would have more interest in buy a American car if I could save thousands in tax and get a low interest rate.
Posted by: Scott Korth, WI | February 18, 2009, 9:14 am 9:14 am
Did anyone notice, not a single penny for Guam, Puerto Rico, US VI, or any of our other territories or commonwealths around the world
Posted by: DJ | February 18, 2009, 12:13 pm 12:13 pm