4-year scandal of the 9/11 billions (Where did the money go?)

NY Daily News ^ | 12/03/04

[Libloather]

Can't wait for the stats to come in from New Orleans...

[DoughtyOne]

I don't begrudge the people or businesses in New York that were affected recieving some relief. What gauls me is the government calloused disregard for protecting every other taxpayer's interests.

It's almost as if the government's main goal was to squander as much money as possible. While this money gets wasted, other projects go lacking for 'enough' funds.

What I'd also like to see is a complete airing of what the Red Cross received and how, when and to whom it disbursed the funds.

[Zenith]

This investigation Is not telling "Who, What, Where" the
20 Billion went.

I want names and agencies.

Hillary and Schumer used ome money for their CAMPAIGNS !!

[El Gato]

The magic number of "$20 billion" that President Bush first said he would give New York was actually pulled from thin air, a figure born of politics and compassion rather than actuarial calculation and meaningful analysis.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) came up with the number in an effort to match the amount of emergency money being planned for anti-terrorism security across the country — legislation that made no specific mention of New York.

Nothing surprising there, Schumer pulls everything he says right out of his A$$.

[AliVeritas]

Someone posted a column two days ago on it... will try to find it.

[AliVeritas]

Wow... time to do some checking... again.

[Roccus]

The 'spend every last dime' mentality is everywhere.
Here in my WV county, a $7500 Homeland Security grant (one of many) was recently received. They proposed to buy Kevlar vests, (anti?) ballistic helmets and shatterproof face shields for the sheriff's dept. The bill for these items came to about $6300. Said one of the county commissioners, "...we'll find something to spend the rest on."

[Grendel9]

What I want to know is:

WHO authorized the applications submitted by
New York CITY businesses and private citizens?
(No one just fills out an application to
the US Congress for monies!)

Did any of this money go to businesses or
private citizens OUTSIDE New York City?

Into WHOSE bank accounts were ANY and ALL
these monies credited?

The way this stupid article reads, either:
Schumer procured the monies and he was
responsible for allocating it...
OR
GWB personally wrote all the checks, leaving
the PAY TO line blank!

Both scenarios are stupidly naive. Congress
voted on these monies. I would suggest that
AS USUAL, Congressmen relied on their YOUNG
political assistants to read the fine print
and advise them as to HOW they should vote.
Personally, I'm tired of elected representatives
sitting on their buttocks and earning big bucks
for exerting as little mental energy as possible.

[ncountylee]

Then there's the city Department of Education. It did such a poor job of keeping track of how it spent its $32 million share of Project Liberty grief counseling funds, that four years later, the feds are still withholding $26.8 million. Finally, The News found that program after program was designed, then redesigned, with a singular goal: spend every dime.

Trying to make LA look good.

[M203M4]

The 'spend every last dime' mentality is everywhere.

You got that right. Often there are policies that reinforce this tendency as well - for example, if you don't spend ALL of your grant money, next time around, the granting agency (government OR private) will give you less. So anything leftover at the end of the cycle is wasted in order to keep the gravy flowing strong.

The "spend every last dime" mentality is also true for the personal finances of many...fortunately (sometimes I think 'unfortunately') we live in countries where waste is not particularly painful.

[palmer]

It's almost as if the government's main goal was to squander as much money as possible.

Just a year after that Bernanke gave his helicopter money speech.

[DoughtyOne]

"...a helicopter drop of money."

[traviskicks]

At least for the time being, I'll be pinging the list every so often, hopefully not more than once or twice a day if that.



Regarding this story, I wonder how much more efficient the 'aid' would have been if government had not been involved? What if the people were left to furnish their own aid?


Libertarian ping! To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here.

[traviskicks]

Schumer remembers Bush asking, "New York really needs $20 billion?"

"At least that, Mr. President," Schumer replied.

"You got it," said Bush.
---

Thanks Mr. President for spending money that is not yours. Very constitutional of you.

[JoeSixPack1]

40+ years ago NYC initiated their desire to secede from the nation. Now is a good time to re-kindle their desires.

[Bernard]

This should not be a big surprise. Government is big, clumsy, slow and inefficient. The bigger the government, the clumsier, etc........

[LibertarianInExile]

"It's almost as if the government's main goal was to squander as much money as possible."

Almost? What do you mean, almost? Must be a typo. Fixed your mistake here:

It's almost as if The government's main goal was to squander as much money as possible.

[thegreatbeast]

"The federal recovery aid also does not include the $7 billion paid out by the Victim Compensation Fund."

When & why did we start assuaging loss with money?

I want to know one thing: Do all first-responders have a communication system that allows them to work cohesively? Does it work in the highest skyscraper or the lowest tunnel?
If not, all the nat'l and local NY politicians should dangle from the business end of a hangman's rope.

[thegreatbeast]

And we forget the $15b kiss that he gave the airlines.