Ablogination

President Obama has put VP Biden(the nut) in personal charge of oversight concerning the way that America’s Governors handle the money their respective states receive from the stimulus, or The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Good move. Very good move.

And not only this, but the website, Recovery.gov, is up and running and is alleged to be our (that’s you and me) window to the ways the money is spent.
This is the transparency President Obama promised when campaigning. We hope it is anyway.

So now that we can play through-the-looking-glass with our money, it stands to reason why certain Republican Governors like Jindal, Sara Palin (remember her?) and other various and assorted asshats want to reject the funds. They won’t be able to steal them.
These “bridge to nowhere” types probably thought they were going to line their buddies pockets or buy gold plated plaques with the Ten Commandments on them. Nope. Not this time o’ greedy ones.
This time you have Joe Biden to watch over you. And now President Obama has given us a way to watch him watch you.

From the Christian Science Monitor:

“Nobody messes with Joe” Biden warns governors
By Jimmy Orr | 02.25.09

Vice President Joe Biden pledged that he would not be another Dick Cheney. So far, that seems to be accurate.

If today’s appearance on the Early Show is any indication, it looks like he’ll be a cross between a watchdog, customer service rep, and webmaster.

Sure, he forgot the website. But that’s not worth mentioning.

Nobody messes with Joe

What’s important is that he’s in charge of ensuring that every last penny in Obama’s massive $787 billion spending package will be spent correctly. No waste.

And he’s the one doing it because “nobody messes with Joe,” Obama said last night in his address to a Joint Session of Congress.

Don’t mess with Texas, er… Delaware

What if someone does “mess with Joe?” Biden issued a warning shot to elected officials who might stash the cash instead of using it correctly.

“If governors were to take the money and put it in a rainy day fund instead of creating new jobs, we will expose that,” he said stating that he will go on TV and call them out.

Public

How can the public know that the money is allocated correctly? That’s the question CBS’s Maggie Ordonez asked.

“We’re going to put every bit of this transparently up on a website. You’re gonna know. You’ll be able to go on a website. Every single bit of this will be on a website,” he explained.

What website?

“You know, I’m embarrassed. Do you know the website number?” he asked looking offstage. “I should have it in front of me and I don’t. I’m actually embarrassed.”

He was able to get the website “number” from someone off camera.

“Recovery.gov. It’s Recovery.gov. It’s up and running,” he said with newfound confidence.

Small biz

Ordonez also asked him about the plight of a small businesswoman who had to lay some people off due to the bad economy.

The woman, identified as Lisa Hendrickson, wondered specifically what in the spending package will help small business.

He told Ordonez that Hendrickson should call his office directly and he personally “will be able to guide her on what pieces of this package will be directly helpful.”

That’s customer service.

He also demonstrated some clairvoyant skills theorizing that perhaps customers aren’t able to get to her business because a bridge over a creek somewhere is destroyed.

No problem though. The stimulus package will repair that bridge. If there is one. And it’s destroyed. And if they can find it.

The GOP

As for Republican opposition to the spending package, Biden there could be some legitimate concerns - except if you’re Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (who, coincidentally, gave the Republican response).

He said Jindal was pursuing the course of inaction “while people are just sinking into the abyss.”

http://www.recovery.gov

Accountability and Transparency

“We cannot overstate the importance of this effort. We are asking the American people to trust their government with an unprecedented level of funding to address the economic emergency. In return, we must prove to them that their dollars are being invested in initiatives and strategies that make a difference in their communities and across the country. Following through on our commitments for accountability and openness will create a foundation upon which we can build as we continue to tackle the economic crisis and the many other challenges facing our nation.”

Memorandum to Head of Departments and Agencies, February 9, 2009

There it is there.
Let’s see if it works. Because here in Tennessee, we have much to worry about when it comes to some of the untrustworthy filth that absolutely would abuse the people’s money if it fell into their hands without 24/7 federal oversight.

Small Business people. Be sure to keep your eyes on the ball ‘cause there’s something in it for us too.

Smell that? That’s the smell of fresh air.

Rock on, Mr. President. Rock on.