My Big Fat Check: Truth-In-Politicking
Written by Audrie Zettick on May 14, 2009
I had a dream. U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was presenting AIG and GM with an humongous size presentation check for their bailout bucks, signed by “U.S. Taxpayers.” At the last minute, I stepped forward exclaiming, ”call the Feds and put a stop on that check. I withdraw my signature.” Then I noticed Geithner was holding a rubber chicken and wearing boxer shorts emblazoned with SpongeBob–and realized I was dreaming.
In Pennsylvania, one legislator has a related idea (not related to the no-pants thing): make it mandatory to show that it’s taxpayers footing the bill when ceremonial checks are presented by state government officials and legislators. Representative Jim Cox (R-Berks County) has introduced House Bill 596, the Presentation Check Act, which affects those big, made-for-photo op checks that legislators and others present to local groups, in advance of getting state funding. Usually, the fake check has a signature line emblazoned with the elected official’s name. Everyone knows it’s really state money, but we all play along, smile and are thankful to get the funds.
Of course, I’m less worried about the physical size of a check than the fiscal size of a check. With the national debt estimated to zoom to over 82% of GDP as a result of the Obama budget, our kids will be stuck with the tab–whether or not these checks say “paid by U.S. Taxpayer.”
A lot of presentations checks in the future may have to be rubber ones. Maybe the rubber chicken in my dream was a prognostication.
Posted in: Federal Spending
