CBS News Reports: Stimulus Funds Go to Martini Bars, Puppet shows

Last night, the CBS Evening News reported on yet another revelation of stimulus waste, fraud, and abuse. The latest news of stimulus waste came courtesy of a study released by Senators Tom Coburn (R-OK) and John McCain (R-AZ), entitled Stimulus Checkup, which took a closer look at 100 projects funded by the Democrats $1 trillion stimulus and highlighted 100 wasteful stimulus projects worth at least $7 billion but saved or created few actual jobs.

The latest projects that taxpayer dollars are funding include: a martini bar, a Brazilian steak house, a water pipeline, a money-losing golf course in San Francisco, fossil research in Argentina, puppet shows - and much, much more.

As CBS News reported:

The public's overall assessment of the condition of the national economy remains grim; 77 percent of Americans say the economy is in bad shape. The economic stimulus package was supposed to help with that. As of the end of November, the government has spent $217 billion in stimulus, and two Republican Senators say that at least 15 percent of it has been pure waste.

You probably wouldn't guess that a martini bar and a Brazilian steak house would be on tap for stimulus funds. But in St. Joseph, Missouri the two privately-owned facilities are getting $100,000 of your tax dollars.

The contrast with the latest report of stimulus waste and a Memorandum to Head of Departments and Agencies penned by Obama Administration Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag on February 9 is remarkable. They wrote:

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.

Clearly, their own stimulus has failed to meet that test.

As early as next week, Democrats will move to raise the debt ceiling by as much as $1.8 trillion nearly twice what had been assumed in last springs budget resolution for the 2010 fiscal year, Politico noted today. Judging by the way out-of-touch Washington Democrats spent taxpayer money in just one year, why should the American people trust them with one more dime of their hard-earned money?

The American people deserve better than the out-of-control spending, borrowing, and taxing Washington Democrats have been offering up all year. Republicans have a better solution: a no-cost jobs proposal, which House Republican Leaders discussed just yesterday with the President.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Stimulus
• Waste
• Where are the jobs?

[Auggie56]

It's a slush fund for the democrats.

[junctionboys]

On the count of three everybody....."WHERE IN THE $@!&# IS ALL THIS MONEY COMING FROM?!?!

[radiodj1520]

I Believe This Was A Video Clip Of CBS News' CBS Evening News With Katie Couric's Report On Stimulus Funds Go To Martini Bars, Puppet Shows On Thursday Evening, December 10, 2009.

[FRSFreeState]

This is not news or surprising but definitely comical

[FrsBigeasy]

Any time you have a Stimulus Bill that big there is going to be plenty of waste. Not excusing it just pointing out a fact. There's no question we need better oversight of all Federal Government Spending though.

[IMPLR1369007]

My message to Congress:

Perhaps, you need someone to come to DC to oversee this program...I need a job. Or perhaps I can simply stay at home and do what the government has been doing. I will decide what is important in my own budget, instead of paying my taxes I can simply send you whatever is left over after the "important" things are paid for. The President should willing to accept a "handfull" of "unwise expenditures" that would cut into the amount I send you.

[IMPLR1369007]

From China, based on an IOU from your grand kids.

[Thefreeheart]

ob means bs....

[truthforamerica]

Obama is a crook. He is a new Bernie Madoff but he is a Democrat political hack, so he gets by with it.