Stevens is ’secret senator’ blocking online gov’t accountability
Steve Safran August 30th, 2006
The politician most confused by the internet is the one who is blocking a vote on posting the federal budget online. CNN reports that Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens (R) is the identity of the man many in the blogosphere worked to identify. The bill would mean that the government would have to publish a database of federal spending online. The spokesman for Sen. Stevens (”The internet is a series of tubes“) says the senator has “a series of concerns and questions about the bill” and wants a cost-benefit analysis.
7 Comments Add your own
1. Jason Parker | August 30th, 2006 at 9:07 pm
“… [he] wants a cost-benefit analysis.”
OMFG. Is this guy for real!? He wants to stop a bill because he’s not sure the benefits will justify the costs!? The guy–who brings thousands of dollars PER RESIDENT in pork to Alaska, who supports those multi-million dollar bridges to islands with 40 people on them–THIS guy suddenly is like “Wait, hold up a second. I’m not sure this move is so financially wise.” And he doesn’t even do it openly or publicly.
I find it difficult to locate in my vocabulary the words to describe my feelings. More simply, I don’t know whether to laugh or to cry.
Incredible. Simply incredible.
2. Safran | August 31st, 2006 at 5:59 am
Jason: The line is BS. What’s really motivating Sen. Tubes is a pissing match with Sen. Tom Coburn (R - OK) who introduced the bill (with Sen. Obama). Coburn tried to block funds for Sen. Tubes’s Bridge to Nowhere. This is political revenge and nothing more.
3. Dave | August 31st, 2006 at 7:37 am
Why do people act so shocked about this? How are you at a loss of words? It’s not like this new stuff.
Politicians, of all kinds and all parties, suck. Do you really think the majority of them want the budget online? No. Then you could actually hold them fiscally accountable and they don’t want that.
If they support it, it’s probably because they’re a rare good guy (who probably has zero political capital) or it’s politically good for their career with the election coming up. Most likely, the latter.
As the founders said, government is but a necessary evil. It’s corrupt, it’s evil, and it’s all we unfortunately got.
4. Alyssa | August 31st, 2006 at 9:12 am
I always suspected it was him.
5. Anonymous | August 31st, 2006 at 9:16 am
That’s it, Alaska is not allowed to have a vote in the Senate, anymore. Their two votes should be given to the people of DC.
6. nightingale health center&hellip | February 16th, 2007 at 10:17 am
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7. Ratboy | January 19th, 2008 at 5:24 am
Wow, thanks for the excellent information!
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