A Sea Of Red

WASHINGTON (AP) - Repairs for rural bridges, an under-highway safe crossing for turtles and efforts to protect the sage grouse population are among 100 projects a Republican senator pointed to Monday as questionable federal stimulus spending.

The list by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., includes projects others would identify as ideal for creating jobs and benefiting generations of Americans: skateboard parks, streetscapes, upgrades of park facilities, bike trails and parking garages.

Coburn's list is partially a collection of news stories that questioned local projects to be funded under President Barack Obama's economic recovery program. The White House has promoted the program by selecting favorable newspaper stories.

One of the most fiscally conservative senators, Coburn cited the repair of 37 rural bridges in Wisconsin that average little more than 500 vehicles apiece each day - with one carrying no more than 10 cars a day. The projects jumped over larger, urban repairs because they were "shovel ready."

Coburn also criticized a $3.4 million Florida Department of Transportation project for an "eco-passage" - an underground wildlife road crossing for turtles and other wildlife in Lake Jackson, Fla., along U.S. 27.

"Why did the turtle cross the road? To get to the other side of a stimulus project," the Coburn report says.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090616/D98RI8302.html

Rocketfan wrote:The list by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., includes projects others would identify as ideal for creating jobs and benefiting generations of Americans: skateboard parks, streetscapes, upgrades of park facilities, bike trails and parking garages...................................."Why did the turtle cross the road? To get to the other side of a stimulus project," the Coburn report says.

Dr. Coburn recently announced that he will run for re-election to serve another 6 years in the US Senate. He has been a pain in the rear for every pork barrel-er in the Senate, regardless of party. Good work Dr. Tom!

I'm actually impressed there were only 100 projects found that Coburn disliked. The one that really bothers me is the Minneapolis dance theater.