About the Bailout Watch Project
OpenTheGovernment.org created and maintains BailoutWatch.net as a part of the Bailout Watch project. The site is a clearinghouse for anyone interested in the bailout. We post the latest news, official reports, scheduled hearings and events, commentary, analysis, investigations, and research. We also help you track freedom of information requests and responses and provide a forum where the public can follow expert debate on major issues.
The Bailout Watch project is a collaborative effort to research, investigate, and analyze the federal government’s bailout activities and publish resources and data for policymakers, the media, and interested citizens. Bailout Watch draws upon the expertise and resources of the partner organizations to identify specific data that should be disclosed (and made available in an online, indexed, searchable format), research and investigate government decision-making processes related to the bailout, and provide analysis and commentary about the effectiveness of different bailout programs.
Bailout Watch is supported by funding from the Ford Foundation.
Core Organizations Center for Economic and Policy Research The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) is committed to presenting economic and social issues in an accurate and understandable manner, so that the public is better prepared to choose among the various policy options. Visit Organization Web site » Economic Policy Institute The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) was created to broaden the discussion about economic policy to include the interests of low- and middle-income workers. The institute conducts original research according to strict standards of objectivity, and couples its findings with outreach and popular education. Visit Organization Web site » OMB Watch OMB Watch exists to increase government transparency and accountability; to ensure sound, equitable regulatory and budgetary processes and policies; and to protect and promote active citizen participation in our democracy. Visit Organization Web site » OpenTheGovernment.org OpenTheGovernment.org is a non-partisan coalition of consumer and good government groups, environmentalists, library groups, labor, journalists, and others united to make the federal government a more open place in order to make us safer, strengthen public trust in government, and support our democratic principles. Visit Organization Web site » Project on Government Oversight (POGO) The Project on Government Oversight (POGO) is an independent nonprofit that investigates and exposes corruption and other misconduct in order to achieve a more effective, accountable, open, and honest federal government. Visit Organization Web site » Taxpayers for Common Sense Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS) is an independent and non-partisan voice for taxpayers working to increase transparency and expose and eliminate wasteful and corrupt subsidies, earmarks, and corporate welfare. Visit Organization Web site » See all of the organizations that are contributing to this project »
Learn the Terms
The topic is complex and muddy, and its easy to get lost in all the jargon. If you are new to watching the bailout you might want to start with this handy glossary that explains some commonly used terms and acronyms.
See the FinancialStability.gov: Decoder »