Little Faith In The Stimulus Money

CNN finds today that 74 percent of poll respondents feel that at least half the money in the Democratic stimulus package was wasted. This accompanies a lack of confidence in the administration's response to the financial crisis in general, as a majority of Americans seem to feel it benefited banks, wealthy individuals, and corporations.


Stimulus waste was a concern voiced by President Obama from the start, as soon as funds were approved; he appointed Vice President Joe Biden as the stimulus "sheriff," and gave his VP the portfolio of preventing waste, recognizing that this money couldn't even appear to be going to wasteful projects (adhering to the mantra of  "no swimming pools"). Biden has been traveling across the country to announce new projects and promote the stimulus since then.

Most prominent in pushing the idea that funds have been wasted is Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), mortal enemy of the earmark, who released a report detailing 100 stimulus spending projects he found wasteful.