August 6, 2006

Spending Database

One of the best political stimulants, is shame.

    U.S. Senator Tom Coburn has an innovative idea that will cost the federal government virtually nothing and provide the public with a depth of knowledge on government operations unparalleled in American History.

    The Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommmittee on Federal Financial Management has introduced a bipartisan bill to create a Google-like online searchable database of all federal spending. Currently, said Coburn, there is no way for taxpayers to find out what the federal government is paying individuals, groups, localities, and contractors. "This bill will empower citizens investigators to root out waste, fraud, and abuse," the Oklahoma Republican, a leading opponent of pork, told U.S. News.

    He has earned a bipartisan group of co-sponsors including Republicans John McCain and Rick Santorum and Democrat Barack Obama. Since most of the information is already online or in digital data records that could be easily posted, the cost would be comparatively small.


This is a good thing. There's plenty of shame to go around.

Hopefully you can group it by Senator / Congressman and see what they've introduced... and give you a dollar total.

We're from the government, and here to help. Posted by AlexC at August 6, 2006 7:06 PM

Yes! Transparency is the key, much better than creating some arcane "reform" rules that members will quickly find ways around.

Bloggers can play an active part in the shaming. Not that anybody around here would take pleasure in such a thing...

Posted by: jk at August 7, 2006 11:46 AM

Devil's Advocacy time.

Why should we wait for government to fill this need? Why hasn't there been anyone in the think-tank/political agitator segment of society doing this?

Yes, Porkbusters et al is a start.

... my fear is that the government will find a way to make it suck.

Posted by: AlexC at August 7, 2006 2:03 PM

That was actually my first thought: fund a government program to see why government spends so much...

But I believe you might need their access to produce them with accuracy and timeliness. Go government!

Posted by: jk at August 7, 2006 3:16 PM | What do you think? [3]