"This is your money. You have a right to know where it's going and how it's being spent. Learn what steps we're taking to ensure you can track our progress every step of the way."
Keeping in line with his campaign's theme of accountability and transparency, the Obama administration has put up a new website to help people track how the economic stimulus money is spent: http://www.Recovery.gov/
"With a recovery package of this size comes a responsibility to assure every taxpayer that we are being careful with the money they work so hard to earn. And that's why I'm assigning a team of managers to ensure that the precious dollars we've invested are being spent wisely and well," President Obama said before signing the $787 billion stimulus bill into law today at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. (Read Obama and Biden's remarks at the signing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act here)
Speaking of accountability and transparency....Media Matters has compiled a comprehensive look at the mainstream media coverage the economic recovery bill was given from the time of its conception to the present day. Some of the numerous myths and falsehoods that repeatedly popped up in the media's coverage of the recovery package include:
* Failing to feature economists during recovery debate
A study of Sunday talk shows and cable news programs from January 25 through February 8 found that economists made up only 25 guest appearances out of 460 - only 5 percent - during the 139 ½ hours of programming in which the recovery package was discussed.
* Misrepresenting 1930s unemployment figures to incorrectly claim New Deal programs did not work
Documented journalists continuing the effort among conservative media of attacking the New Deal and President Roosevelt in an attempt to discredit Obama's stimulus plan include Washington Post's George Will and syndicated columnist Mona Charen.
* Propagating Health IT falsehood spearheaded by Rush Limbaugh
SEIU also worked to debunk Rush's scare tactics and clear the air about the benefits of health IT, from the viewpoint of caregivers. See "Limbaugh doesn't get IT" and "Caregivers Defend Health IT."
* Falsely claiming that undocumented immigrants without Social Security numbers could be eligible for tax credits
The Drudge Report and AP, guilty as charged.
Still think the media covered the economic bill fairly? That's because you haven't watched this video yet:
