Groundswell of Support for Accountability and Transparency Measures in Stimulus Bill

As the Senate continues to add provisions to its version of the stimulus bill, pushing the price tag well over $900 billion, POGO has joined a coalition of more than 30 groups from across the political spectrum calling for greater accountability and transparency in the economic recovery effort.

The groups in the Coalition for an Accountable Recovery may have widely divergent views on the appropriate size and scope of the economic recovery, but we all agree that the stimulus bill must include online transparency requirements so that the public has a way to monitor how companies and government agencies are spending our taxpayer dollars.  Just as USASpending.gov provides detailed, user-friendly information on federal contracts and grants, we believe that the economic recovery website should enable the public to search, sort, and download data in order to monitor how recovery funds are being spent at every level of government.

A recent poll conducted on behalf of the coalition found that the public overwhelmingly supports transparency requirements in the recovery package.  Three out of four voters believe that “creating a national website where citizens can see what companies and government agencies are getting the funds, for what purposes, and the number and quality of jobs being created or saved” would have an important impact on the recovery effort, including 39 percent who believe the impact would be extremely important.  And there are similar levels of public support for creating these websites on the state level.

For those who are interested, OMB Watch has prepared a useful side-by-side comparison of the accountability and transparency measures in the House and Senate versions of the stimulus bill.  In general, the House version has much stronger language, including a measure that would require local, state, and federal authorities to post an online notification for each infrastructure investment.  This notification would include the purpose of the investment and a certification from the governor, mayor, etc. that the investment is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds.

We'll be watching closely to make sure the final version of the bill contains strong requirements for online transparency, so that the public has the resources it needs to hold officials accountable for the expenditure of billions, if not trillions of taxpayer dollars on the recovery effort.

-- Michael Smallberg

Comments

[Posted on: Feb 06, 2009 at 09:42 PM]

Dear Readers, 2/6/2009

Please note and include my apologies as I have just now partially re-read the Platts//Van Hollen WPA Amendment and I presume I am correct to presume it appears to have the 'All Circuit Review' (also as similar to HR985) and with the allowance ability and availability and I presume (and again as I am not an Attorney//Lawyer) the proper and forthright legal expertise applicable requirements and/or entitlements and/or as necessary and/or expected applications.

Thank you and all for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Axel
Axel V. Sabersky

[Posted on: Feb 05, 2009 at 05:57 PM]

Dear Readers, 2/5/2009

Explanation and Clarification: I just now partially read the original Platts//Van Hollen HR1 Whistleblower 'Oversight and Accountability' Amendment.

Please note that I was unaware and shocked to notice that the US Constitutional Bill of Rights mandate of and to include 'ALL CIRCUIT REVIEW'!! was missing!! and explicitly misdirected to the FEDCIR, Federal Circuit Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit from this Whistleblower 'Oversight and Accountability' Protection Restoration Enhancement Act Amendment. This is a complete travestry of Justice and the necressary proper and forthright interpretations our US Constitutional Bill of Rights endeavors towards application and interpretations of our laws.

Also as is well known and that unfortunately and to soem extent inately our US FEDCIR Court has many serious conflicts of interest (presumably including the 15c requirement that somehow? received US Legislative implementation, support and guidance) and has earned the public reputation of seemingly and to some extent of being corrupt and a kangroo court. This Whistleblower Amendment should not contribute to this corruption and allow for Whistleblowers and Oversight and Accountability to have the full and complete attention of this FEDCIR Court without the 'Conflict of Interest' and 'discrimination' concerns that this current bill without the full and complete unrestricted access to all Courts and Appellate Courts be applied without time limits.

PLEASE NOTE: ALL CIRCUIT REVIEW AVAILIBILITY IS A MUST!! AND WILL, WOULD AND SHOULD ALSO ALLOW A US CONSTITUTIONAL BILL OF RIGHTS MANDATED MORE PROPER AND FORTHRIGHT AND MORE REASONABLE AND ACCEPTABLE AND UNFETTERED DECISIONS IN STATE AND LOCAL COURTS!! ECETRA!!

I fully expect POGO, GAP and the NWC to assist within these endeavors at your earliest convenience.

If POGO, GAP or the NWC have any questions or concerns, please contact me at your earliest convenience and/or correct this intended WPA Legislation and/or post here and I will accommodate with a reply, comment, assist and/or reconsider upon your post.

Thank you and all for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Axel
Axel V. Sabersky