US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. Image by Getty Images via Daylife
From: OMB Watch
More than $8 trillion is being spent to rescue the financial sector and stimulate the economy. Who’s getting it? How is it being spent? Is the Recovery Act money saving or creating jobs and what kind of jobs? Is the bailout money generating new loans, and if so, who is getting them?
A contribution to OMB Watch now will help us stay on the beat to ensure the Obama administration answers these types of questions.
The Obama administration has done a remarkable job in creating Recovery.gov and moving money to the states and localities since the Recovery Act was signed into law. Moreover, President Obama has put into motion the beginnings of policies that bring an unprecedented presumption of openness in the way government operates.
Notwithstanding the positive first steps by President Obama, Recovery.gov has not yet lived up to its potential. It is will take a concerted effort from across political lines to build a truly transparent and accountable government.
In this video, I share with you three strategies needed to transform government: changing policies, improving technology, and replacing the culture of secrecy in government with one that prizes disclosure.
OMB Watch, with more than 25 years of experience and expertise, has stepped forward to both help and hold accountable the new administration. Engaging people and organizations across the ideological spectrum, we have two new projects:
Bailout Watch is a partnership with six other organizations that is researching, investigating, and analyzing the federal government's financial bailout activities. Everything we learn will be published so that you will see it, too. Soon we will be reaching out to you to build a broader coalition that reminds the federal government and Wall Street that the bailout should help all Americans, not just wealthy traders and businesses.
The Coalition for an Accountable Recovery (CAR) is comprised of more than 30 organizations to promote transparency and accountability policies and practices for national and state government agencies and contractors that benefit from recovery spending. You can join CAR by signing up online.
Give todayfor a transformed tomorrow through transparency!
Truly Yours, 
Gary D. Bass OMB Watch, Executive Director
P.S. A gift of $25.00 or more will help CAR and Bailout Watch work for you!
[Original OMB Watch article accepts comments]
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