Errors and inaccuracies in stimulus report: GAO

[steven johnson]

President Barack Obama pledged the stimulus plan would create or save 3 million jobs.

Is it possible that we have been fed sunshine and blue sky?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The data collection and reporting from those who received money from the $787 billion U.S. stimulus plan is riddled with errors and inaccuracies, according to a federal audit of the report released on Thursday.

Since the report on where stimulus funding went and how many jobs it created or saved was posted at www.recovery.gov on October 30, news organizations have uncovered faulty data entry and misunderstandings that have raised suspicion about the quality of the numbers.

The Government Accountability Office had warned there would likely be mistakes in the mammoth undertaking. Its audit found that, despite training from federal agencies, many recipients were confused about how to count jobs.

"Implausible amounts" of money were reported, or there were discrepancies between amounts awarded and received, the audit found.

Errors and inaccuracies in stimulus report: GAOt

[westerebus]

1. Does anyone have a clue on how to run this country? n/t

[notesdev]

3. Into the ground? Sure, they all do! nt

[doc03]

2. And here we have another gloom and doom

post. Back during the primaries Obama was about my last choice and at that time if you even hinted at any criticism of him you were branded a racist on DU especially if you supported Hillary. So here we are a year later I am still willing to at least give the guy a chance and it seems like suddenly most of DU have deserted him. Boy how time changes things in short attention span America.

[notesdev]

4. You're at the start of the process

the process goes like this:

Step 1: Listen to politician X make promises that sound good
Step 2: Give X the benefit of the doubt
Step 3: Wait...
Step 4: Wait...
Step 5: Wait...
Step 6: There is NOOOOOOO Step 6!
Step 7: Start thinking privately, "WTF?"
Step 8: Become cynical
Step 9: Realize you got taken for a sucker
Step 10: Get angry enough to say something about it
Step 11: ?????
Step 12: Profit!


A lot of us have already gotten to step 10, you're just starting the process. In about half a year you'll be at least at the WTF stage, and it snowballs from there.

[sendero]

5. He also said that with..

.. the stimulus plan unemployment would not go over 8%.

All of Obama's economic prognostications, as well as his remedies, are less than stellar.