By PoliJAM
December 8, 2009
Issuing a new oversight report detailing the “pure waste” on economic stimulus projects from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Senators Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) and John McCain (R-AZ) found that “$7 billion in stimulus funds have been wasted, mismanaged, or directed toward silly and shortsighted projects.”
COBURN: “Two hundred and seventeen billion dollars of this money is out the door and at least 15 percent of it is pure waste.”
MCCAIN: “Half the contracts awarded without [being] subject to full and open competition and went out for a fixed price. Whenever you do this, you end up with outrageous awarding.”
Below is a list of the questionable stimulus projects highlighted by Senators Coburn and McCain in their oversight report:
1. Broadband Map That May be Obsolete by the Time it’s Complete ($350 million): $350 million was awarded to states from the Department of Commerce to build a map of its broadband Internet infrastructure, though it duplicates existing maps. Rather than spend $350 million on the project, one firm said it could map the whole nation for $3.5 million – one percent of the cost. Or, anyone with a computer could Google it – for free.
2. Empty Mall Gets Energy Award ($5 million): $5 million was awarded to the Oak Ridge Mall in Tennessee to provide geothermal heat – only the mall has few stores and customers…
…4. Anti-Capitalist Puppet Shows ($50,000): Puppet theatres with socialist, anti-capitalist messages were paid $50,000 to put on puppet shows.
The rest of the list is at PoliJAM Blog.
