As we were driving around this summer on our various vacations this summer, we saw a lot of new highway construction. Our GPS would momentarily freak out; it was unsure how to deal with the new roads. When that happened, Steve would comment, "there's the stimulus money." I would look up from my magazine and nod and then go back to my article on the new fall fashions.

There's no doubt that a lot of stimulus money found its way to highway construction, but where else did it go? Did it really lead to new spending in other sectors of the economy or did it simply maintain existing services whose budgets were gutted by tax shortfalls?

In New Jersey, the state allocated a certain portion of the stimulus money to go to special education. Our town received nearly $400,000 for special education, but I just received a notice that special education services would be reduced. My son, who receives services for his disability, isn't getting the extra speech therapy or social skills classes that he needs. We're paying for these additional services out of our own pocket and are fighting a losing battle with the health insurance company to cover those fees. I have to send my son into school with toilet paper and paper towels, because his program can't afford it. Where did that stimulus money go? 

I would really love to see some analysis of the implementation of this stimulus program. Where has the money gone? I want to see some analysis of the most basic question in political science. Cui bono? Who benefited?