I thought the cell phone program was outrageous, but check out this article on how states are struggling to find enough homes to weatherize in order to use up their allocation of porkulus funds. Not only does the porkulus steal from the taxpayer, the porkulus is also making it harder and more expensive for those who are not receiving porkulus funds to engage in any area to which these porkulus funds are applied. Those who really do want to increase their homes' energy efficiency, and who make above the $44,100 cut-off for the program, will have to pay much more for materials and labor (if they can get it) as they have to compete against all the money being dumped into this market. Also, lower income families tend to live in smaller houses, condos, apartments or other rental units and would not see enough of a drop in energy usage after weatherization to make it economical.

Likewise, porkulus funds earmarked to pave roads are being used to pave roads that do not need it and blowing $300 per sign to advertise this wonderful deed. My own state of New Hampshire is paving state roads that are perfectly fine but town roads, full of frost heaves and long overdue for a paving, are being ignored. When the roads that need paving are finally paved, it will be far more expensive than if the state had not blown the porkulus funds on good streets! Also, my town is deliberating on the hiring of an extra policeman even though they don't need it in order to take advantage of a "buy one year-get four-free" scheme under the porkulus. We have no crime here and I will then have to be extra careful to watch my speed, which DECREASES safety instead of increasing it as my eyes are on the speedometer, not the road!

References:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090715/ap_on_re_us/us_stimulus_weatherizing_homes/print

http://www.governor.nh.gov/news/2009/031909.html

http://www.whitehouse.gov/progressreports/NewHampshire/