The WasteWatcher
The WasteWatcherBlue Dogs and PAYGO – Living in La La Land
On April 28, 2009, members of the so-called fiscally conservative “Blue Dog” Coalition introduced H.R. 2116, the “Fiscal Honesty and Accountability Act of 2009.” According to their website, the measure “would strengthen Congress’ commitment to...
The WasteWatcherCAGW’s FOIA Project
On February 17, 2009 President Obama signed an economic “stimulus” bill, formally known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). More than $787 billion is slated to be spent through ARRA to help revive the economy.
The WasteWatcherMedicare/Social Security Insolvency
While the Obama Administration ratchets up support for government-run healthcare, which would be a new entitlement program, the government trustees who monitor the nation’s two largest entitlement programs, Medicare and Social Security, have...
The WasteWatcherDon’t Ground the Presidential Helicopter Program
The presidential helicopter has always provided the media with a picturesque backdrop for the president. One of the most famous images is President Nixon waving goodbye to the White House for the last time on August 9, 1974 from the top step of the...
The WasteWatcherStimulus not Stimulating
The White House announcement on May 20 of 100 projects in 100 days of the stimulus, a plan that was intended to be “timely, temporary, and targeted,” was greeted with great skepticism, including an ongoing dispute about the amount of money that has...
The WasteWatcherEnergy Battle Heats Up
Americans are feeling some relief from the drop in gas prices, which were more than $4.00 per gallon last summer and now hover around $2.25 per gallon. After expectations that winter home heating costs would rise dramatically above the prior year,...
The WasteWatcherTaking Taxpayers for a Ride
Most Americans have a favorite train story. When my parents took my brother, sister and me out West in 1966, we took the overnight train from Denver to Salt Lake City. We were awed by the beautiful scenery from the dome cars, ate well, slept...
The WasteWatcherThe First Cut Is The Lamest, Not The Deepest
In February, President Obama introduced a $3.69 trillion budget for the 2010 fiscal year, a proposal that would, according the Heritage Foundation, increase spending by $1 trillion over the next ten years, lead to a 12 percent increase in...
The WasteWatcherWeatherization Assistance Program – A Perfect Storm of Potential Waste?
President Obama’s $787 billion so-called “stimulus” bill, formally known as the America Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), will have reverberations throughout the economy for years to come. The contained a wide range of new government spending...
The WasteWatcherObama’s Earmark Reform? ShamWow!
On March 11, 2009 President Obama signed the fiscal year (FY) 2009 omnibus appropriations bill, which contained the nine remaining 2009 spending bills worth $410 billion. After making dizzying campaign promises to eliminate congressional earmarking...
The WasteWatcherEthical Lapses
In November, 2006, just after the sweeping victory by Democrats in the House of Representatives, the newly-minted Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) promised that her leadership team would create “the most honest, most open, and most...
The WasteWatcherJoint Strike Fighter: Platform for Waste?
Designed for service by the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and eight international partners, the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program is expected to produce an aircraft with a few variations that will ultimately replace the in-service F-16 and F/A-18...
