You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Economy
Phantom districts in Texas receive millions in 'stimulus'
2009-11-19
According to the Obama administration's latest count, the President's economic stimulus package has created 45 jobs in Texas' 58th congressional district and 30 jobs in the state's 91st district.

The White House's recovery.gov web site declares that Texas' 52nd district received exactly $8,937,289 in stimulus funds, while the 68th district has had precisely $310,963 funneled into it.

Trouble is, none of these congressional districts exist.

In its latest computer glitch, the Obama administration's much-ballyhooed accounting system for the $1.2 trillion stimulus law detailed government spending in 39 congressional districts in Texas -- a state that, in reality, has 32 congressional districts. More than $14 million in mystery money is attributed to seven phantom congressional districts, including the mysterious and fictional District 00.

Nationally, the recovery.gov site has mistakenly attributed $6.4 billion in stimulus spending to 440 non-existent districts in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and even four American territories, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan government oversight group watchdog.org.

Republican critics of the stimulus package are having a field day with the administration's latest self-inflicted political wound.

Since passage of the stimulus bill, "over three million of our fellow countrymen lost their jobs and our nation suffers from the highest unemployment rate in a quarter of a century," jabbed Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Dallas. "Now we discover that much of the money cannot be properly accounted for ... and in many cases (are) complete fabrications."

The administration attributes the mistakes to accounting errors committed by recipients of stimulus grants, loans and contracts.

"The problem appears to be with recipients who either were unsure of or confused over their congressional district or recipients who made an honest human error in manually entering the data for their reports," said Cheryl Arvidson, a spokeswoman for the White House recovery board.

Arvidson noted that the "congressional district snafu" applies only to the district-by-district accounting system and "does not mean there is money being sent into a black hole."
Posted by:Fred

#16  Doesn't involve larceny, then, as that would involve actual property. Closer to gerrymandering with imaginary people, but, I am sure, the proper charge could be made to stick. How about just plain theft, and let them be judged according to Sharia law, their ultimate objective.
Posted by: rhodesiafever   2009-11-19 20:55  

#15  "Did any of these phantom districts produce ballots in the last election?"

Doesn't matter what district, north or south of the Rio Grande, to do that.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2009-11-19 16:26  

#14  Wouldn't this be called something like fraud or embezzlement? Funneling money into non-existent jobs in non-existent districts?
Posted by: JohnQC   2009-11-19 15:22  

#13  jumbo asks "Did any of these phantom districts produce ballots in the last election?"

no, but they will in 2010
Posted by: abu do you love    2009-11-19 13:35  

#12  And another question I would like answered is:
Did any of these phantom districts produce ballots in the last election?
Posted by: Jumbo Slinerong5015   2009-11-19 13:31  

#11  My Congresswoman in Ohio, Jean Schmidt, wrote:
A closer look at the website reveals even more alarming “facts.” The Obama Administration has spent more than $5 million dollars to create or save eleven jobs in ten Ohio Congressional Districts that simply do not exist. For instance, the fine folks living in the 21st District got more than a million dollars while the folks who live in the 56th District got only $12,000. The problem is we have only 18 congressional districts in Ohio.
Posted by: Muggsy Glink   2009-11-19 12:19  

#10  ...what a great story, can't wait for the gubmint to run healthcare just as efficiently...
Posted by: Broadhead6   2009-11-19 12:10  

#9  My back left pocket is the Texas 66th Congressional district and I need $1 Million Billion for job creation activities. Just cash, small non-sequential bills, in easy to carry wads.
MWAW-HAW-HAW!
Posted by: AlmostAnonymous5839   2009-11-19 11:19  

#8  Trouble is, none of these congressional districts exist.

So where did the money go? Everything is phony about this administration.
Posted by: JohnQC   2009-11-19 10:18  

#7  C'mon, get the name right. It's Aztlan.

And work on your bow 'n' scrape, buddy. Take a cue from the past master of the art, our Perpendicular POTUS.
Posted by: lex   2009-11-19 10:09  

#6  Just think of how accurate their actual MATH is!

2+2 does equal 5 in ObumbleLand!
Posted by: CrazyFool   2009-11-19 09:08  

#5  According to the Obama administration's latest count, the President's economic stimulus package has created 45 jobs in Texas' 58th congressional district and 30 jobs in the state's 91st district.

Must be referring to Chihuahua and Coahuila districts in the south. You laugh. Just wait till the election when their votes show up.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2009-11-19 08:15  

#4  Charles Krauthammer said the other night, and I'm paraphrasing...."Gaffs such as this have made The Administration fodder for late-night comedy shows humour. They are doomed."
Posted by: Besoeker   2009-11-19 07:25  

#3  $8,937,289 in stimulus funds, while the 68th district has had precisely $310,963 funneled into it.

That's a big money trail. I'm guessing we can't rely on the NYT or any other member of the State-Run media to follow it. But it's so big even a blind man could follow the scent.

Did "they" really think that no one would notice this. What is so amazing about this administration is that they operate just like those people exposed by two kids in the Acorn offices.
Posted by: Jumbo Slinerong5015   2009-11-19 05:21  

#2  the recovery.gov site has mistakenly attributed $6.4 billion in stimulus spending to 440 non-existent districts

But don't worry! Obama's pals at ACORN and the SEIU are making very good use of the money.
Posted by: DMFD   2009-11-19 04:31  

#1  Arvidson noted that the "congressional district snafu" applies only to the district-by-district accounting system and "does not mean there is money being sent into a black hole."

We don't have all the facts yet so please don't jump to any conclusions, because you are not The One, who instictively knew that Cambridge police acted "stupidly".
Posted by: gorb   2009-11-19 00:22  

00:00