Government Waste

Government spending is constantly increasing while it appears attention to it is constantly decreasing.  With the national debt soaring past $16.4 trillion, many view this as a tragic failure that leaves the next generation with an enormous debt burden.  Waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars is perhaps the most poignant example of areas that can afford to be cut.  Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma last year detailed just how wasteful government spending truly is.

The waste report, found here, outlines just how wasteful so much of our spending is.  One example is this:  Approximately $80 billion is allotted annually for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), a food stamp program designed to help families who might otherwise go to bed hungry.  After close investigation, it was found that part of the funds meant to purchase healthy foods for these families actually went toward purchasing Starbucks, Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, soap operas and other fast food and sugary drinks.  This is not what the money is meant for, yet it is spent wastefully.

Other such wastes are also prevalent-- whether it be spending $27 million to teach Moroccans how to make pottery (pottery that they've been making on their own for centuries) or spending $947,000 on developing cuisine suitable for consumption on Mars, there are too many projects that are unnecessary.

The national debt will ultimately be left to today's kids-- the carefree toddlers who seem so innocent will be saddled with a debt they can never repay.  It is crucial that we cut down on the waste, fraud and abuse occurring within the government and its spending habits.


Source:  http://www.coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=3b872d11-b6b5-4f72-9a0f-f95c79c99b6f&ContentType_id=d741b7a7-7863-4223-9904-8cb9378aa03a