abandoning pam

Wow, the Policy Analysis Market did not even last the day. The NYT is now reporting that the program will be immediately abandoned. The NYT describes it as "a program that was met with astonishment and derision almost from the moment it was disclosed."

Indeed, few things inspire the bipartisan derision that this program has. From the NYT:

"It is totally unauthorized as far as we are concerned," said Senator Ted Stevens, Republican of Alaska, the chairman of the Appropriations Committee. "No funds should have been used for it at all. It's really a serious mistake on the part of Darpa."

Democrats said cutting off the money to this specific initiative was not enough. "I think those who thought it up ought not only close down the program, they ought not be on the public payroll any longer," Mr. Dorgan said.