By Wayne Allyn Root
4/24/2012
The national media is dominated at this moment by two gigantic scandals involving the U.S. government. One involves the GSA- General Services Administration- and their excessive spending on a conference in Las Vegas. The other involves the U.S. Secret Service and their excessive behavior on a Presidential trip to Columbia. Both scandals present valuable lessons about the way our government operates.
Let’s start with the GSA. This scandal is far more important and far more indicative of how government operates. This scandal has nothing to do with sex. This scandal has to do with a far worse addiction- wasteful spending. Government employees are addicted to spending taxpayer money. The GSA spending scandal shows precisely why our country is bankrupt and over $100 trillion in debt and unfunded liabilities. Why? Because government employees are spending OPM- other people’s money.
Do you think this is an isolated event? Of course not. This wasteful spending goes on every hour of every day, at every government department. The reason is simple- they couldn’t care less because it’s not their money. It's taxpayer money- yours and mine.
I’ve been in business for 30 years. If there is one lesson I’ve learned, it’s that if you give an employee a corporate credit card with no controls on it they will spend and waste money like a drunken sailor. People who guard their own credit cards like skinflints, and won’t even order bottled water or soda at dinner when the bill is on them, suddenly order the best wine in the house when they have the company credit card.
People who pinch pennies on vacation when it’s their bill, will suddenly ask for a ocean view suite and leave 25% room service tips when they have a company credit card. People who never reach for a bill when they’re paying, suddenly set world speed records reaching for a bill when they possess a company credit card.
If it’s their home and their electric bill, they walk from room to room shutting off lights and lowering the thermostat. But if it’s their company paying the bills, they leave the lights and air conditioning on 24/7.
The GSA scandal proves this is exactly the attitude of government employees. When the money belongs to taxpayers, no bill is too big. How generous of them!
The lesson here is to immediately investigate and audit all government agencies. I’m a betting man and will stake my life savings that this exact spending orgy goes on every day, at every level of every government agency, department and program. Let’s investigate them all. Then let’s fire, without a day’s pension, every government bureaucrat and employee involved.
Government bureaucrats are using our tax money to live it up, setting up conferences in exotic locales like Hawaii and Vegas. It's time to end all the travel. These overpaid government employees have meeting rooms where they work in DC or Cleveland or Baltimore. There is no reason for $825,000 bill for hotels, flights, meals, or “momentos to remember the trip.” There is no reason for $40,000 bills for top managers to “scout” the site or bill for spouses to attend.
Remember these government bureaucrats are the same ones that have spent us into a more than $100 Trillion national debt that is the greatest threat to our national security and solvency. They are the same ones owed over $5 Trillion in unfunded federal pension obligations and about $3 Trillion more for unfunded pensions on the state level.
They are wasting our money by the billions. All this while you and I have to work until the day we die to pay for their lavish salaries for 20 years...and then pay their bloated pensions, and free healthcare for life for NOT working for the next 40 years.
The solution is simple. Investigate every level of government. You'll find massive over-spending. Then fire them all.
Now to the Secret Service Scandal. Taxpayers should cheer the agents in the Columbian prostitution scandal. Heck we should throw them a parade. Don’t fire them. Put those agents in charge of our government. They did two things right that should be taught to every government employee.
First, they used their own money. Glory Hallelujah! Obama spends taxpayer money by the hundreds of millions for his lavish family vacations. And of course, not only has Obama spent every cent of taxpayer money on his personal trips, he’s added over $5 Trillion in new debt for our children and grandchildren to pay. Compared to Obama these Secret Service agents should get commendations for enjoying their vices with their own money. How refreshing!
Second, and here's the truly amazing lesson for all government bureaucrats- the Secret Service agents actually tried to save money. These skinflint agents that promised the Columbian hooker $800 and then tried to give her $30 should be commended for their efficiency. They have a talent that needs to be taught to all levels of government. U.S. taxpayers should pay them to teach other government employees how to negotiate and save money. Then, when they return from these seminars across the USA, put them in charge of the GSA. They have the kind of attitude and skills that just might save America from bankruptcy.
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To read more by Wayne Allyn Root, click here.
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