Politicians from Obama on down enjoy ‘monuments to me’ with help of your stimulus funds

Last Friday, Orlando, Fla. became the first city to name a road after President Barack Obama. Fittingly, $11,503,000.00 from Obama’s stimulus will fund the 3.3 miles of road combining Pine Hills Road and Mission Road in Orange County.

Mattie Corrao, government affairs manager for Americans for Tax Reform, was not surprised by this recent use of stimulus funds to politicize yet another public works project.

“This is pretty characteristic of the ‘stimulus,’ which was essentially established as a slush fund for political pet projects.” she told The Daily Caller. “It just illustrates how much of the stimulus has been used to politicize and advertise the stimulus itself.”

The most egregious example, she said, was the John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport — which cost taxpayers nearly $200 million but has seen hardly any passengers except for Congressman Murtha himself, prior to his recent demise.

But President Obama and Congressman Murtha are not the only sitting politicians to have had projects named in their honor. A multitude of current lawmakers are enjoying the pleasure of seeing their appellation tied to what critics call “monuments to me.”

Senator Robert Byrd is notorious for self-aggrandizing public works projects bearing his moniker. Currently the president pro tempore of the Senate has over 30 projects named in his honor. Not too shabby for a former member and Kleagle (recruiter) for the Ku Klux Klan.

The Robert C. Byrd “Soul of the Senate” website boasts of such projects as:

Robert C. Byrd Academic and Technology Center

Robert C. Byrd addition to the lodge at Oglebay Park, Wheeling

Byrd Aerospace Technology Center

Robert C. Byrd Bridge between Huntington and Chesapeake, Ohio

Robert C. Byrd Cancer Research Center

Robert C. Byrd Clinical Addition to the veteran’s hospital in Huntington

Robert C. Byrd Community Center, Pine Grove

Robert C. Byrd Community Center in the naval station, Sugar Grove

Robert C. Byrd Drive, from Beckley to Sophia (Byrd’s hometown)

Robert C. Byrd Expressway, U.S. 22 near Weirton

Robert C. Byrd Federal Building

Robert C. Byrd Federal Courthouse

Robert C. Byrd Freeway

Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope

Robert C. Byrd Hardwood Technologies Center, near Princeton

Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center of West Virginia

Robert C. Byrd High school in Bridgeport

Robert C. Byrd Highway

Robert C. Byrd Hilltop Office Complex, Mineral County

Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarships

Robert C. Byrd Industrial Park, Hardy County

Robert C. Byrd Institute in Charleston

Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing

Robert C. Byrd Library and Robert C. Byrd Learning Resource Center

Robert C. Byrd Life Long Learning Center

Robert C. Byrd Locks and Dam

Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center

Robert C. Byrd Rural Health Center