Analysis of the Act

• Accountable government recovery spending: http://accountablerecovery.net/
• STAR Coalition's ARRA transparency watch site supporting state-by-state accountability: http://www.accountablerecovery.org/ Ellen Miller of Sunlight Foundation blogs about the content and use of the site here: http://blog.sunlightfoundation.com/2009/05/26/accountablerecoveryorg/

• Stimulus Watch, via U.S. Budget Watch.org
  • Stimulus Analysis - An economic and fiscal analysis of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, via U.S. Budget Watch.org
• StimulusWiki.com - A wiki that helps break down and explain the stimulus bill
• Hive Group Treemap - The Hive Group Treemap of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
• American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 on Discourse DB
• EERE.

Assessments by Economists

Economists such as Martin Feldstein, Daron Acemoglu, National Economic Council director Larry Summers, and Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences winners Joseph Stiglitz^[41] and Paul Krugman^[42] favor large economic stimulus to counter the economic downturn. While in favor of a stimulus package, Feldstein expressed concern over the act as written, saying it needs revision to address consumer spending and unemployment more directly.^[43] Other economists, including John Lott,^[44] Robert Barro and Nobel Prize-winners Robert Lucas, Jr.,^[45] Vernon L. Smith, Edward C. Prescott and James M. Buchanan have been more critical of the government spending.

On January 28, 2009, a full page advertisement with the names of approximately 200 economists who are against President Obama's plan appeared in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. The funding for this advertisement came from the Cato Institute. The ad stated

... we the undersigned do not believe that more government spending is a way to improve economic performance. More government spending by Hoover and Roosevelt did not pull the United States economy out of the Great Depression in the 1930s... To improve the economy, policymakers should focus on reforms that remove impediments to work, savings, investment, and production. Lower tax rates and a reduction in the burden of government are the best ways of using fiscal policy to boost growth."^[46][47]

On March 11, 2009, The Wall Street Journal published a forecasting survey of 49 economists about the bill's impact in regards to the Obama administration. President Obama and United States Secretary of the Treasury Timothy F. Geithner received failing grades, in the opinion of these economists, for their handling of the economic crisis and stimulus plan. Critics were divided over the bill, with 43% saying $500 billion more would be needed, while others were "skeptical of the need for stimulus at all."^[48]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Recovery_and_Reinvestment_Act_of_2009#Assessments_by_economists