Squandering the Stimulus Part 7000

Remember Democrats' outrage about the no-bid contracts in Iraq and post-Katrina on the Gulf Coast? From Nancy Pelosi on down, they promised "reform" of the process. And that's even when there were some defensible reasons for no-bid contracts -- especially given the unique conditions in Iraq and the urgency of getting repairs completed for those who had been devastated in New Orleans and elsewhere in Katrina's path.

In light of all this, surely the same Democrats will be equally outraged to learn that millions of taxpayer dollars of the stimulus package are being wasted on no-bid contracts for repairs on military bases. Apparently, as the linked AP reveals, "[b]idding and its delays can be avoided by federal rules that permit contract awards to small and disadvantaged businesses without competition."

It would be interesting to know who the "small and disadvantaged businesses" receiving the contracts are, wouldn't it? Is the stimulus money simply being funneled to friends of politicians and/or the "right" groups of "disadvantaged" people?