Arrr, me hearties! Witness the grandest squandering in the latest booty list o' government waste, ye scurvy dogs!
2023-11-25
Avast ye scurvy dogs! This here sly trickery of a government shutdown be nothin' but a sham! They be keepin' all their precious coins and takin' on more debt like a bunch o' landlubbers!
Congress and President Biden have passed a short-term government funding bill to keep the government running. The bill, according to Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray, simply postpones the problem and taxpayers will continue to pay for a bloated government until January. In the past, government shutdown scenarios have resulted in maintaining current spending while adding new debt, and it is unlikely that this time will be any different.Fiscally conservative Republicans should focus on shaming wasteful spenders and informing voters about the misuse of their tax dollars and borrowed money. Thomas A. Schatz, president of Citizens Against Government Waste, has proposed cuts that could serve as a starting point. Examples include eliminating funds for the International Fund for Ireland, which went towards pony trekking centers and golf videos, and the unnecessary expense of attendants to push elevator buttons in the Capitol Hill complex.
Other instances of wasteful spending include the National Endowment for the Humanities misspending millions on a conversation on pluralism and identity, the Pentagon and CIA hiring psychics for insights on foreign threats, and a study on the quality of life in Hawaii. Additionally, there were millions of dollars in fraudulent food stamp claims and Medicare fraud.
If Republicans focus on cutting these smaller expenses, they may be better positioned to address the larger spending issues of Social Security and Medicare. The current federal debt is already massive and could double in the next decade, leading to increased interest payments and potential crowding out of funding for other priorities. Ignoring basic economic rules surrounding debt could have severe consequences for the country.
Overall, it is essential to address wasteful spending and the growing national debt to avoid long-term economic consequences.