Whether you have read it here or have heard it elsewhere, criticisms of the president’s stimulus package most notably include: the money hasn’t come out fast enough, its impact will be overshadowed by the economy’s own natural recovery, and that some of the supposed “shovel-ready” projects haven’t even begun. Regardless of those criticisms, a Congressional report suggests that the money that is flowing out to individual states isn’t being spent properly — but is it their fault?

The Government Accountability Office (GAO), the agency responsible for monitoring and reporting to Congress on the stimulus, will release its bi-monthly report on Tuesday at a House oversight hearing: Read the rest of this entry »

A recent poll suggests that some Americans are losing patience with President Obama’s stimulus package. According to a Washington Post-ABC News poll, 52% of respondents feel the stimulus package will succeed in improving the economy. The latest results compare to an approval rating of 59% just two months ago:

The falloff since April cuts across partisan lines. Confidence in the package’s effectiveness has dropped from 81 percent to 73 percent among Democrats and from 32 percent to 26 percent among Republicans. Among independents, it has dropped from 56 percent to 50 percent. What was once a clearly positive assessment of the program among independents (56 to 39 percent) is now an almost even split (50 to 47 percent).

Read the rest of this entry »