Senator blocks government spending transparency bill

[spike]

Pocola mayor Jerl Mitchell, one of a dozen people who talked with Coburn in Pocola, said he thinks most Americans agree with Coburn when it comes to cutting government waste.

“It’s just stupid,” Mitchell said of many of the projects funded by legislators.

Still, those senators have ways to stymie things. One of the senators most criticized for his personal projects, Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, has a hold of his own on Coburn’s bill to make public the spending patterns of the government. Called the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, the legislation calls for the creation of a database open to the public where citizens can track government spending.

“He’s the only senator blocking it,” Coburn said of Stevens.

Coburn and Stevens sparred earlier this year when Coburn attempted to block the so-called “bridge to nowhere,” a transportation project in Alaska to build a bridge that less then 60 people a day would use that would have received $223 million from the federal government.

Coburn said the purpose of the transparency act is to open up government so citizens can hold officials accountable.

“What we need is transparency and sunshine,” Coburn said.

Although it has been slow going, Coburn urged people to remain vigilant about keeping an eye on federal spending.

“Make me defend it, hold me accountable,” Coburn said.

http://www.swtimes.com/articles/2006/08/18/week_in_review/news/friday/news04.txt

Sounds like a great idea held up by one Senator.

 

[Luis G]

We have that over here, but there was one mayor that refused to make public how his goverment spent the money. He claimed to be an honest man and he even arrived his office in a nissan's tsuru.

His driver had an income of around USD$70,000. He always had in mind the poor, that's why he built a 2nd floor on the most transited freeway in Mexico City (how that benefited the poor, which happen to have no car is beyond me). The ammount of money spent on such a big project is unknown since his goverment blocked all transparency laws.

Some say he got the money to finance his precidency campaign....

Then he ran for president and lost...anyone can guess who he is?

 

[Gonz]

While cuts to benefits would be painful, Peterson acknowledged they might be necessary to balance spending with what the country takes in. Cuts in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid can still be done responsibly,

Yep. Let's cut the projects that are not Constitutionally guaranteed. Social programs cost more than any other expenditure, so it would make sense.

This bill, on its surface is okay. There's something else lurking that just isn't settling well. I can't put my finger on it. It'll come to me. Until then, we should keep in mind that we are already able to access the annual federal budget. Look it over. See whata bazillion dollars buys these days & remember those numbers when you go to the election booth.

 

[spike]

keep in mind that we are already able to access the annual federal budget. Look it over. See whata bazillion dollars buys these days & remember those numbers when you go to the election booth.

The more transparency the better I say.