Another Letter From Coburn

I do write elected officals. I feel it is necessary to remain vocal and in contact with them. If not to remind them of who they "work" for, but to keep myself in the game so to speak.

Tom Coburn is generally a putz, but a few months back he co-authored a bill putting together a searchable database for spending bills. It's called the "Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act." I wrote him in support of his work on the bill an for him calling out Mr. Bridge to Nowhere Ted Stevens for putting an anonymous hold on the bill. Here's his response:

November 15, 2006

The Raving Badger
123 Any Street
Anytown, USA 12345

Dear Raving Badger,
Thank you for contacting me regarding the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006. I appreciate your kind words of encouragement.
The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, now federal law, creates a Google-like search engine and database to track approximately $1 trillion in federal grants, contracts, earmarks and loans. The bill will cost $15 million over the next 5 years. Meaning that on average the database will cost $3 million a year.
This legislation will reduce wasteful spending by empowering every American to be a citizen investigator capable of holding the government accountable for spending decisions. I believe that the savings from this bill far outweigh the cost.
Thank you for your principled opposition to wasteful federal spending. I am pleased to see that the American public is paying attention to our current fiscal situation.
Sincerely, A
Tom A. Coburn, M.D.
United States Senator