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The WasteWatcher

Corn Ethanol is Not a Panacea

All is not rosy with corn ethanol and other biofuels, according to a February 7 Scientific American online article.  The article reported on the release of two new research studies that show that converting corn to ethanol is leading to increased...

Elizabeth Wright May 31, 2008
The WasteWatcher

Rhetorical Flim-Flam

In the wake of the March 13 vote on a one-year moratorium on congressional earmarks, it is time for a post-mortem on who said what in the heat of the battle.  The amendment, offered by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) to the fiscal year 2009 budget...

CAGW Staff May 31, 2008
The WasteWatcher

Federal Government – The Ideal Tenant?

Apparently, the federal government has an aversion to commitment, at least in terms of property.  According to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released on January 24, 2008, for the first time in history the federal government is...

CAGW Staff May 31, 2008
The WasteWatcher

“Emergency” Supplementals

“Hope for the best, but plan for the worst” is the approach most Americans try to take when it comes to setting aside funds for a rainy day.  For the government, however, national emergencies, and the supplemental appropriations bills that tend to...

CAGW Staff May 31, 2008
The WasteWatcher

Pentagon’s Travel System Still Grounded

There are a lot of reasons to complain about air travel:  overbooking, rising costs, delays, cancellations, uncomfortable seats, and rude passengers, among others.  With all of these hassles, travelers do have a plethora of online travel services to...

CAGW Staff April 30, 2008
The WasteWatcher

Earmarks Invade DC

An op-ed in the May 17 Washington Post by Colbert King showed that earmarks know no boundaries.  King cited $56 million in projects in the District of Columbia’s budget that were “initiated and approved by the [city] council without extensive...

Thomas Schatz April 30, 2008
The WasteWatcher

The Government’s Net Loss

Government involvement in the private sector and technology has been a disaster.  The technology industry is a dynamic, fast-moving industry delivering new products to consumers every day and the government is struggling to perform even the most...

CAGW Staff April 30, 2008
The WasteWatcher

Extreme Makeover: San Joaquin River

How much should it cost to restore salmon to a river?  Try $22 million per salmon under legislation that is moving through Congress. 

Thomas Schatz April 30, 2008
The WasteWatcher

Fill’er Up with Politics

The Air Force refueling tanker saga started with a provision added to the fiscal 2002 Defense Appropriations Act directing the Air Force to lease 100 Boeing 767’s for new fuel tankers.  It was not only one of the worst examples of corporate welfare...

Elizabeth Wright March 31, 2008
The WasteWatcher

Coconut Road Outrage

An update on the ongoing drama associated with what CAGW has dubbed “the immaculate earmark.”

Leslie Paige March 31, 2008
The WasteWatcher

What’s In Your Wallet? Free Goodies Courtesy of Taxpayers

In an audit of federal employees’ use of credit cards, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found some shocking charges with a debatable relationship to necessary costs.  For example, during more than 15 consecutive months between 2004 and...

CAGW Staff March 31, 2008
The WasteWatcher

Home, Home on the Range, Where the Big Railroad Companies Graze Or South Dakotans Should Choo Choo Choose Their Own Destiny

When one thinks of western South Dakota, one imagines sweeping vistas and beautiful ranches.  However, the Dakota, Minnesota, & Eastern Railroad (DM&E) is threatening to grab massive swaths of this beautiful private land in western South...

CAGW Staff March 31, 2008

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