Remember when Vice President Joe Biden was put in charge of overseeing the bungled $787 billion stimulus program because, according to failed President Barack Obama, “nobody messes with Joe”?
That worked out like most other things have been working out for the Obama administration in the past six months: Poorly. A new report from the Government Accountability Office says that stimulus money is being misspent and wasted. And you wonder why unemployment continues to skyrocket.
The report released Wednesday by the Government Accountability Office, Congress’ investigative arm, found that the $787 billion stimulus package is being used to “cushion” state budgets, prevent teacher layoffs, make more Medicaid payments and head off other fiscal problems.
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For example, the GAO said about half the money set aside for road and bridge repairs is being used to repave highways, rather than build new infrastructure. And state officials aren’t steering the money toward counties that need jobs the most, auditors found.
Taxpayers have also recently complained that the federal government has wasted money by advertising stimulus-funded construction projects with road signs which costs between $500 and $1,200 to produce.
Although most news articles don’t mention specifics, the giant PDF of the report shows that 63% of the spending is going to fund Medicaid. What is that stimulating? In contrast, 6% is going to road projects. I assume that includes the $1,200 road signs.
The GAO audit comprises 16 states and the District of Columbia. Combined, those localities are getting 2/3 of the federal funds. The states getting and wasting 2/3 of your $787 billion are Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois (surprise), Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas.
Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania have Democrat Governors.
Democrats control all legislative branches in Colorado, California, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York and North Carolina and one branch in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Like That? You'll Probably Like These.
- Joey ‘Plugs’ Biden Heads To MI To Tout Failed Stimulus
- The Bungled Stimulus Starring Joe Biden
- Biden: Mission Accomplished
- Biden: Hey, Look At All These Jobs We Created (Or Saved)
- Biden: Job Creation Intended For Second Half Of Stimulus
