Thursday, December 13, 2007

Follow the Dollars

There's a fun new website that just launched today at: http://www.usaspending.gov/

What is it? It's one stop shopping for digging up information on who gets what from the Federal Government. Want to know who the top 100 contractors are? You'll find it here AND how much they were awarded (Boeing, incidentally is number one). It's broken down by state and Congressional district as well, so you can get a sense of which areas of the country are enjoying their fair share (or more) of federal funds.

Check it out -

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

The Silly Season for Congress

With the writer's strike in Hollywood, you're probably starved for good drama and comedy. Well have no fear! All you have to do is tune in to C-SPAN, the network that covers Congress. The Congress and the White House are mad at each other. The Republicans and the Democrats are mad at each other. The House and the Senate are mad at each other.

The potential result? Another government shut down if Congress can't reach an agreement on spending for 2008.

In the latest episode (i.e., as of this evening), it appears that a spending agreement has been reached, although nothing has been passed yet. As is usual, neither side is overjoyed. The House Democrats have to give in to spending on the war in Iraq, while the Republicans have to agree to a higher level of overall spending. A continuing resolution (designed to keep the government functioning) has been passed which means a shut down isn't imminent.

If you're looking for more information on what's happening, check out the following resources:

Washington Post Article on the latest agreement
Library of Congress chart on appropriations bills