the buzz log

The government is set to write a $787 billion check to help fix what ails the economy. So for those of us who want to track where all those taxpayer dollars are going, good news: The government website recovery.gov will, over time, allow anyone to watch the federal agencies distribute the money, and then, how the states are spending it.

So while the rescue package may sound like a giant slush fund, we the people and they the government will be able to see that it all goes to jobs and tax relief, and not to some guy's swanky office decor. As Obama says in his welcome video, instead of politicians doling out money behind closed doors, the funds aim to be "timely, targeted, and transparent." The site includes a timeline of the bill's projected progress, a mission statement, even an FAQ page.

Like many of the Obama team technology gamabits, this is not a one-way communication. Site users are asked to weigh in on the recovery plan, and to share stories of how the economic crisis affects them.

Of course, taxpayers are already doing their own research, looking online for "economic recovery plan," "american recovery and reinvestment act," and "recovery.gov."

Given what Wired calls the "national Hail Mary stimulus bill," with billions going to mass transit projects, infrastructure and rural broadband, probably in a locale near you, we all have a vested interest in making sure the money goes where it says.

As the site notes, it's our money and we have a right to know where it's going. Every penny of it.