Charlotte Website Design | US Government is spending $18 Million dollars on a website? I will do it for FREE!

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US Government is spending $18 Million dollars on a website? I will do it for FREE!

10. July 2009 by Glenn Boothe 12 Comments

This is the email message I found in my inbox this morning...

"Vice President Biden warned us that there would be "waste" in the stimulus bill. The latest proof comes from the General Services Administration, which announced that the Obama administration is spending $18 million to redesign the Recovery.gov website to show Americans just where their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent. This is unreal and outrageous. If the Obama administration is willing to devote $18 million in taxpayer dollars to a website, imagine what government-run health care will charge taxpayers for an MRI."

Since this is a blog about web design and development I will keep politics out of this discussion....

$18 Million Dollars - wow that is a lot of money. I know in today's world where millions and billions, even trillions of dollars are discussed casually it doesn't seem like that much but it is. At least for the taxpayers among us it is A LOT of money!

So the real question is...what to do about it?

Truth is there probably isn't anything that we can do about it but I am willing to try. It is easy to sit around and complain about what is going on but then do nothing about it - especially when you are busy with work and family. This time though I am willing to do my part. While I am certainly not in position to write the government a check for $18mm, I am in position to save the government $18mm, which should be just as good!

MY OFFER TO UNCLE SAM: I would like to offer the services of my company, Web Station (www.webstationinc.com), free of charge to save our government $18mm and to help ease the burden on the American Taxpayer. The team here at Web Station and I have been building websites for almost 10 years and we are 100% qualified to complete this website project.

Please help me spread the word on this offer to the government. I need for it to get to the decision makers as quickly as possible before they commit to another firm for $18mm!

Please help by sending people to this post or by re-tweeting this message.

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Jerry Boothe said:

I hope that the powers that be take this seriously. You do not have to force people to volunteer Or waste tax payers dollars on forcing people to do the right thing. Here we have a Business owner willing to donate time and money for the greater good of our nation.(I wonder what party he is with?) Americans have always come together to help out those in need, but when you take %50+of there income in taxes that takes that right away from them. If you just give people the opportunity there will be positive results. Lets band together and truly give this country the stimulous it needs.

# 7/10/2009 9:23:42 PM

Thomas Sayle said:

Glenn,

I admire your willingness to step up to the plate and help out where you can.  But, I must pull the reins back a little on this one.
Any man who is smart enough to help build an $18 million dollar website would know that if Obama was to accept your offer, the money saved would just be used to fly Nancy Pelosi to one of her lavish destinations for the weekend.
Or, maybe we could just buy her a plane so that she would not tie up government aircraft with all of her national policy (vacation to Galapagos Islands) traveling that must take place.
Last, any man who is offering his services for free in lieu of $18 million dollars is clearly making too much money and should have his wages garnished and re-distributed to those "less fortunate."
Margaret Thatcher once said, "The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money."  Think about that one for awhile....

# 7/11/2009 12:02:07 AM

Ares Vista said:

It's unbelievable that our government would throw $18m dollars at a website! Thanks for doing your part, I will do mine to spread your offer!

# 7/16/2009 12:30:22 PM

None Given said:

Assuming a mean salary of 50000 USD per year that would be 360 people working on this website for a year. It would be less if they outsourced it, but I suppose that could not be politically accepted, even though it would save tax payers money.

I understand that there are other cost (hardware, bandwidth), but that would be quite a big project...

# 10/3/2009 9:15:21 AM

Jennifer said:

I might do the same thing as you offer If only I have the same knowledge and ability as you are,You are genius And people like you are genius it was a gift that should be used and share. So then everyone can do something and take their part.

# 11/22/2009 10:47:05 PM

jody said:

What??? 18 Million Dollars and you do it for free?? Awesome. They got to much money..

# 12/9/2009 9:58:21 AM

Vince said:

I love it. If they accept your offer, just think of the free publicity and extra business you will get. In fact, that's a great idea to increase your custom, by giving away a sample of your product for free.

# 1/18/2010 6:19:13 PM

18million?! Who got that bad boy of a contract? Doubt they will work again. lol

# 1/21/2010 12:19:09 PM

JD said:

Wow. It was such an awesome act for you to take the job to save the $18m from being wasted. If I were at President Obama's feet, I will surely take this offer because $18m is not a small amount of money to be fooled around. I know lots of people who are in need will be much benefited on it.

# 1/26/2010 3:34:49 AM