Economy Alarm: Recovery.gov Lists Nonexistent Jobs in Nonexistent Districts

Recovery.gov Lists Nonexistent Jobs in Nonexistent Districts
Along with Creating Phony Jobs, Administration is Creating Phony Congressional Districts

Obama Promised He Was On Track to Improve the Federal Debt, Revive the Economy, and Save Millions of Jobs

“Obama focused on the $787 billion stimulus plan, an ambitious package of federal spending and tax cuts designed to revive the economy and save millions of jobs…. The stimulus package was a huge victory for Obama less than one month into his presidency. Still, he declared, ‘We have begun the essential work of keeping the American dream alive in our time.’… The only thing certain is that Obama is on track to boost a federal debt that stands at $10.7 trillion. Clearly mindful of that, Obama said: ‘We will need to do everything in the short term to get our economy moving again’ as well as ‘begin restoring fiscal discipline and taming our exploding deficits over the long term.’” (The Associated Press, “Obama: Stimulus lets Americans claim destiny,” 02/17/2009)

Credibility Crash: Recovery.gov Lists Hundreds of Millions of Dollars Spent and Hundreds of Jobs ‘Saved or Created’ in Fictional Congressional Districts

Here’s a stimulus success story: In Arizona’s 9th Congressional District, 30 jobs have been saved or created with just $761,420 in federal stimulus spending. At least that’s what the website set up by the Obama Administration to track the $787 billion stimulus says.

When it comes to stimulus spending, could the wheels of government bureaucracy be grinding too quickly for once?

There’s one problem, though: There is no 9th Congressional District in Arizona; the state has only eight Congressional Districts.

There’s no 86th Congressional District in Arizona either, but the government’s recovery.gov Web site says $34 million in stimulus money has been spent there.

In fact, Recovery.gov lists hundreds of millions spent and hundreds of jobs created in Congressional districts that don’t exist.

In Oklahoma, for example, the site lists more than $19 million in spending — and 15 jobs created — on Congressional districts that don’t exist. In Iowa, it shows $10.6 million spent – and 39 jobs created — in non-existent districts.

In Connecticut’s 42nd District (which also does not exist), the website claims 25 jobs created with zero stimulus dollars.

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The Recovery.gov Web site was established as part of the stimulus bill “to foster greater accountability and transparency” in the use of the money spent through the stimulus program. The site is a well-funded enterprise; the General Services Administration updated it earlier this year with an $18 million grant. (Jonathan Karl, “Exclusive: Jobs ‘Saved or Created’ in Congressional Districts That Don’t Exist,” ABC News, 11/16/09)
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