THE FREAKING REC LIST?!?!?! This is I think my FO(U)RTH [thank you grammar/spelling pedants!] diary! Thank you so much guys! I'll keep em coming.
We all know that the place-holder splash screen has been telling us that a mind-blowing website was coming to help us track where the Recovery monies were going, and show statistics (gasp!) about the results. This is a huge step in the direction of transparency, accountability and good governance:
As the centerpiece of the President’s commitment to transparency and accountability, Recovery.gov will feature information on how the Act is working, tools to help you hold the government accountable, and up-to-date data on the expenditure of funds.
But how exactly will we be able to track the results, and how does the web-site work broadly? What will be the mission of the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board in allocating these funds and who exactly is on this powerful board?
More below the fold...
The Press Release from today about its launch:
Today, the White House launched www.recovery.gov -- an unprecedented step to increase transparency in government," the White House said in a press release. "The website features a searchable database, allowing Americans to see how and where their tax dollars are being spent. Following the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the website will include a state-by-state report on the impact of law as well a breakdown of spending in the bill by sector.
And something that I cannot understand:
http://bloomberg.com/...
This website is pretty cool.
All block quotes are from http://www.recovery.gov
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, create or save millions of jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century. The Recovery and Reinvestment Act is an extraordinary response to a crisis unlike any since the Great Depression. With much at stake, the Act provides for unprecedented levels of transparency and accountability so that you will be able to know how, when, and where your tax dollars are being spent. Spearheaded by a new Recovery Board, this Act contains built-in measures to root out waste, inefficiency, and unnecessary spending. This website, Recovery.gov, will be the main vehicle to provide each and every citizen with the ability to monitor the progress of the recovery.
As the centerpiece of the President’s commitment to transparency and accountability, Recovery.gov will feature information on how the Act is working, tools to help you hold the government accountable, and up-to-date data on the expenditure of funds.
The site will include information about Federal grant awards and contracts as well as formula grant allocations. Federal agencies will provide data on how they are using the money, and eventually, prime recipients of Federal funding will provide information on how they are using their Federal funds. On our end, we will use interactive graphics to illustrate where the money is going, as well as estimates of how many jobs are being created, and where they are located. And there will be search capability to make it easier for you to track the funds.
The first incarnation of Recovery.gov features projections for how, when, and where the funds will be spent -- which states and sectors of the economy are due to receive what proportion of the funds. As money starts to flow, far more data will become available.
Before you skeptics out there decry that the speed of the updates are going to be at the speed of molasses...be placated by this nice map! http://www.recovery.gov/... it actually looks like as information comes streaming in it will be updated on a daily basis. This includes real life numbers of job creation, where various grants are going, how the money is being disbursed and so on.
By far the most useful section of the web-site currently is the Frequently Asked Questions section (http://www.recovery.gov/...) which includes a few gems:
There are going to be a few different ways to search for information. Within days after the signing of the legislation, Federal agencies will start distributing funds, and you will be able to see which states, Congressional districts, and even Federal contractors are receiving them. As soon as we are able to, we'll display that information visually, through maps, charts, and graphics.
Wait, by CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT? Simply awesome. That will be incredibly useful come 2010.
And even MORE specifically:
Until the funding is distributed by the Federal government to states and local governments, and eventually to your community, we won't be able to determine exactly where all of the funding will go. Over the next few weeks and months, there's going to be a lot of data coming in, as we coordinate with different agencies. As soon as the first dollars start to go out, you'll be able to track where the money is going. Detailed state maps will be available to assist your tracking.
So we will be receiving graphs, from what I can tell county by county, of where jobs are being created.
And for desert...from the FAQ section:
Is the spending data on recovery.gov available in a format (like XML) that developers can use to create mashups and gadgets?
Ladies and Gentleman: the Government has now arrived in the 21st Century.