Posted on 12/15/2007 4:33:32 PM PST by ddtorquee
Mandated by the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (FFATA), which was co-sponsored by Coburn and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., USASpending.gov is a searchable, Googlelike database that puts most federal spending within a few mouse clicks for every American....
Today is a milestone because, as President Bush noted when he signed FFATA into law Sept. 26:... “… Taxpayers have a right to know where [their] money is going, and you have a right to know whether or not you’re getting value for your money.”
...USASpending.gov brings federal spending into the Internet age. It’s the place to go, for example, if you’re interested in how much the government spent last year on “consultants” or the number of federal contracts given to the company owned by your congressman’s biggest contributor.
...Coburn and Obama drew little attention when they introduced FFATA and the bill mostly flew under the radar as it progressed in Congress. But when passage became a real possibility, the Old Bulls in Congress — ever jealous of their ability to spend our tax dollars on their pet causes — used every legislative trick in the book trying to stop FFATA. Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, and Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., even placed secret holds on the measure, stalling it for weeks in the Senate.
...Porkbusters.org sparked thousands of phone calls and e-mails asking senators if they were responsible for the secret holds. Stevens and Byrd soon gave up and within a few weeks Bush signed the bill into law.
...Starting today, legions of citizens and professional watchdogs have access to an unprecedented amount of information and data on where tax dollars are going. And they’re all connected via the Internet. The pig roast with tax dollars as the main course is coming to an end.
(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...
Did you see the warning at the footer? Is this site a honeypot for citizens doing research?
I did see the warning.....
Is this site a honeypot for citizens doing research?
Interesting question. If it is I am now on the list for researching you know who. ;*)
I got a tidbit on that. I’ll freepmail you in a few minutes.
Thanks for the ping!
What is your opinion on that warning label for using that site?
I have no idea.
Seems to just be a warning to hackers
In reality it means they can log your ip and force you to accept cookies.
It also means they'll come after you if you start hacking the site.
‘Official’ use only though?
Here is where it goes more indepth. Now, I could find no ref to FOUO on this page or other government websites (army, archives) so I would chalk it up to an overzealous webmaster.
http://www.usaspending.gov/USASpending%20Privacy%20Policy.pdf
Calpernia, thanks for the ping, good links to save.
The truth will hurt a lot of the porkers.
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