Biden Says "No" to Stimulus Funding

Here's a story you don't hear about too often: How many stimulus funding bids have been outright rejected? This month, the Vice President has been jet-setting around the U.S. to some of the small towns and cities receiving stimulus money, touting progress, job creation and success. Yet, behind the scenes, Biden might be feeling a bit anxious, as though a lot is riding on the use of stimulus money.

Policing states' use of funding is just one of the many tasks assigned to this powerful VP, of course, but as Joe points out, his "rear end is on the line." He told his aides to return any email or phone call from states in-need of guidance within 24 hours. In a conference call with the mayors, he told them, "It's so important that you make sure -- don't get mad at me -- that there are no water parks, golf courses or anything that doesn't pass, not only the test of the law, but also the sniff test, because we've got to do this thing right."

Let's face it: no one wants another public backlash like the circus that occurred following AIG's misuse of funds to whisk employees away on lavish business seminars or to pay exorbitant bonuses. So what is Sheriff Joe saying "no" to these days? According to a July 1st TIME Magazine article, he's refused: a plan for military-cemetery headstone-straightening, a request for a $10,000 refrigerator to house South Dakota fish sperm, $7 million for the Interior Department to study bird migration. He's said "no" to all swimming pool constructions, anything with the word "golf" in it and he's trying to squash Barbara Boxer's pet project -- a $620,000 skate park renovation in Long Beach, California. He's also been squabbling with Florida over the plan to spend $3.4 million on the creation of a turtle "wildlife crossing" on one of the state highways which has "an alarmingly high turtle mortality rate."

Last month, Joe admitted that, "We know some of this money is going to be wasted," that "mistakes will be made" and that "some people are being scammed already." However, he feels that the stimulus is needed for stabilization and that the end results will be largely positive.  In a shocking admission, Biden told a flock of White House aides, "I'm the guy in charge of this deal. So if this doesn't work, it's me." Just imagine if Cheney had taken full responsibility of the Iraq War! It seems a bold statement for a VP to make and it's so loyal of him to take on this Herculean task of enforcing the stimulus bill for Barack. He can only hope that the jobs come trickling in, the money is spent on wise projects and the economy picks up soon, before this particular hat becomes a political death punch.