The 100 most wasteful Porkulus projects

A report released Tuesday by GOP senators Tom Coburn and John McCain described what they said were the 100 most misguided or wasteful projects funded by the Obama administration as part of the $862 billion so-called "economic stimulus bill."

My favorite is the visitor's center at Mount St. Helens in Washington state. The center--built in 1993 at a cost of $11.5 million--provides visitors with panoramic views of the scenic volcano. Its centerpiece is a huge atrium with custom-designed 30-foot-high, semi-circular windows.

However, since few people under 40 remember the volcano's eruption, the center was closed in 2007--the Forest Service said it was due to staffing shortages.

Now, in a brilliant example of government thinking, the Forest Service used $550,000 in Porkulus funds to (are you ready?) rip out the center's trademark atrium windows and replace them with...smaller, regular windows, "in preparation for use for another purpose," according to information provided by the Forest Service.

Just one small problem: No one has identified a new purpose for the building. A local news website noted that a government official said possible uses are as a hotel, science camp or restaurant," but at the moment there are no plans for the building, and the Forest Service provided no timetable for a decision on a possible follow-on use.

But hey, don't worry! Late some Friday night in November some official with the Obama administration will declare the structure surplus to the needs of the government, and some Democratic donor will bid, oh, ten grand for the whole shebang. But no one will find any evidence of bribery or corruption, because the Dems who control all branches of our govt will block any attempt to investigate.

Sickening as the reported "100 most wasteful" are, the real treasure trove is in the comments. Where we get logical gems like this:

matt4414: "If the GOP didn't request pork then they have nothing to complain about how wastefully the money was spent."

Or this priceless bit of revisionist history from Bob58:

So what suggestions did the GOP have to stimulate the economy???? Weren't [McCain and Coburn] members of Congress when they voted to deregulate Freddie and Frannie?

Wow! So the GOP voted to *de*regulate Fannie and Freddie? Gosh, how did we miss that?

matt4414 again:

Don't forget GWB was pushing the ownership society and encouraging banks to make bad loans.

So Bush was actually encouraging banks to make bad loans? Would love to see that memo or vid or hear the tape!

Unfortunately, like the passport records of Obama's mother, all the evidence seems to have mysteriously vanished.


For the record, there were 1854 comments. They didn't get any more logical.