{"id":1542,"date":"2009-02-19T15:36:52","date_gmt":"2009-02-19T20:36:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/?p=1542"},"modified":"2009-02-19T15:43:32","modified_gmt":"2009-02-19T20:43:32","slug":"sniffing-out-a-rat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2009\/02\/19\/sniffing-out-a-rat\/","title":{"rendered":"Sniffing Out A RAT"},"content":{"rendered":"

The more we learn about the provisions of the recently passed stimulus law the more their is to be concerned about. Byron York writing in today’s Washington Examiner sniffs out a RAT buried in the stimulus law<\/a>:<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve heard a lot about the astonishing spending in the $787 billion economic stimulus bill, signed into law this week by President Barack Obama. But you probably haven\u2019t heard about a provision in the bill that threatens to politicize the way allegations of fraud and corruption are investigated \u2014 or not investigated \u2014 throughout the federal government.<\/p>\n

The provision, which attracted virtually no attention in the debate over the 1,073-page stimulus bill, creates something called the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board \u2014 the RAT Board, as it\u2019s known by the few insiders who are aware of it. The board would oversee the in-house watchdogs, known as inspectors general, whose job is to independently investigate allegations of wrongdoing at various federal agencies, without fear of interference by political appointees or the White House.<\/p>\n

In the name of accountability and transparency, Congress has given the RAT Board the authority to ask \u201cthat an inspector general conduct or refrain from conducting an audit or investigation.\u201d If the inspector general doesn\u2019t want to follow the wishes of the RAT Board, he\u2019ll have to write a report explaining his decision to the board, as well as to the head of his agency (from whom he is supposedly independent) and to Congress. In the end, a determined inspector general can probably get his way, but only after jumping through bureaucratic hoops that will inevitably make him hesitate to go forward.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

First off how on earth does this do anything to stimulate economy??? It doesn’t so why was it buried in a so called economic stimulus bill?<\/p>\n

I don’t know but it stinks to high heaven… As York notes the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board can direct or block investigations by Inspectors General throughout the federal government.\u00a0 Inspectors General have traditionally had the independence conduct investigations without interference from the White House, Congress or the Department of Justice…\u00a0 Now, thanks to the RAT Board their investigations can be subjected to whims of partisan politics.<\/p>\n

Michael Laprarie over at Wizbang<\/a> asks “Anyone care to guess the first investigation — all in the name of “accountability and transparency” of course — that the appropriately-named RAT board will “refrain from conducting”? Roland Burris? The Murtha\/PMA earmark scandal? Links between Democrats and Allen Stanford? Control of the Census by the White House? Chris Dodd’s sweetheart mortgage deal? Charlie Rangel’s tax problems? Links between lobbyists from the financial sector and prominent Democrats?”<\/p>\n

H\/T: Hot Air<\/a> and Wizbang<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The more we learn about the provisions of the recently passed stimulus law the more their is to be concerned about. Byron York writing in today’s Washington Examiner sniffs out a RAT buried in the stimulus law: You\u2019ve heard a lot about the astonishing spending in the $787 billion economic stimulus bill, signed into law […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[7],"tags":[479,160,480,454],"class_list":["post-1542","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-politics","tag-byron-york","tag-congress","tag-recovery-accountability-and-transparency-board","tag-stimulus-plan","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pfpI7-oS","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1536,"url":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2009\/02\/18\/healthcare-provisions-of-stimulus-law-not-well-understood\/","url_meta":{"origin":1542,"position":0},"title":"Healthcare Provisions of Stimulus Law Not Well Understood","author":"Jeff","date":"February 18, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"CNSNews.com has two must read pieces on the stimulus laws healthcare provisions... The first deals with the plans National Medical Records System provisions: Stimulus Law Does Not Require All Americans to Enter Their Medical Records into National System, Dems Say By Josiah Ryan, Staff Writer, CNSNews.com, Tuesday, February 17, 2009\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Health Care"","block_context":{"text":"Health Care","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/category\/health-care\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1419,"url":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2009\/01\/29\/smoot-hawley-rides-again\/","url_meta":{"origin":1542,"position":1},"title":"Smoot-Hawley Rides Again???","author":"Jeff","date":"January 29, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"The Washington Post has a detailed report on protectionist language in the Democrat's pork laden stimulus bill that could trigger a trade war: The stimulus bill passed by the House last night contains a controversial provision that would mostly bar foreign steel and iron from the infrastructure projects laid out\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Economy"","block_context":{"text":"Economy","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/category\/economy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1554,"url":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2009\/02\/21\/michelle-muccio-the-peoples-stimulus\/","url_meta":{"origin":1542,"position":2},"title":"Michelle Muccio: The People’s Stimulus","author":"Jeff","date":"February 21, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"The world's hottest economist,\u00a0 Michelle Muccio, has created a bit of a stir with her simple commonsense stimulus plan, a one-year payroll tax holiday. Here she is discussing the plan with Bill Schieffer of CBS News. Watch CBS Videos Online I like it, a payroll tax holiday would put more\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Economy"","block_context":{"text":"Economy","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/category\/economy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1708,"url":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2009\/03\/19\/congressman-mccotter-slams-stimulus-yes-voters-for-protecting-aig-executive-bonuses\/","url_meta":{"origin":1542,"position":3},"title":"Congressman McCotter Slams Stimulus “Yes” Voters for Protecting AIG Executive Bonuses","author":"Jeff","date":"March 19, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm about ready to make Rep. Thaddeus McCotter of Michigan my adopted Congressman: \"Facts are hard things to disprove.\u00a0 Every single Democrat in this House that voted for that bill voted to approve and protect those AIG bonuses.\u00a0 Every single Democrat in the Senate that voted for that stimulus bill,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Economy"","block_context":{"text":"Economy","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/category\/economy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":498,"url":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2008\/09\/26\/crash-burn-harry-reid%e2%80%99s-56-billion-stimulusoil-shale-ban-bill-augers-in\/","url_meta":{"origin":1542,"position":4},"title":"Crash & Burn: Harry Reid\u2019s $56 Billion Stimulus\/Oil Shale Ban Bill Augers In.","author":"Jeff","date":"September 26, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Reuters is reporting that Harry Reid's $56.2 Billion economic stimulus\/oil shale ban bill has failed in the Senate: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate on Friday blocked a $56.2 billion economic stimulus package that would have extended unemployment benefits, increased food aid and funded new construction projects to create jobs. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Economy"","block_context":{"text":"Economy","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/category\/economy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1406,"url":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/2009\/01\/28\/wsj-you-wont-believe-whats-in-that-stimulus-bill\/","url_meta":{"origin":1542,"position":5},"title":"WSJ: You Won’t Believe What’s in That Stimulus Bill","author":"Jeff","date":"January 28, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Stimulus plan my ass: In selling the plan, President Obama has said this bill will make \"dramatic investments to revive our flagging economy.\" Well, you be the judge. Some $30 billion, or less than 5% of the spending in the bill, is for fixing bridges or other highway projects. There's\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Economy"","block_context":{"text":"Economy","link":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/category\/economy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1542","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1542"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1542\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1542"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1542"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jasetaro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1542"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}