It has long been clear that, when monitoring the activities of the federal government, one must often suspend natural expectations for sanity and integrity. For example, anyone who fails to pay taxes should be last in line to collect benefits paid for by taxpayers. But if the results of four recent reports are any indication, tax deadbeats are raking in federal cash.
The Two Million Dollar Intern
Worth his weight in gold, former astronaut Steve Austin used his super-human bionic strength to fight crime, injustice and international bad guys, all in the name of the red, white and blue. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) now has its own version of “The Six Million Dollar Man,” known as “The Two Million Dollar Intern.”
Mobile Government Apps Lack Transparency, Direction
Since entering the market for mobile apps, the federal government has shown little restraint on deployment and no respect for taxpayers. According to USA.gov, there are currently 107 mobile apps among federal agencies. Given the scope of many of the apps on the website, insufficient planning has resulted in duplication. Even worse, there is no indication of the cost of development and deployment of these new apps to taxpayers. Given these shortcomings, government agencies must coordinate efforts in order to increase transparency and minimize duplication.
Unsolicited Mail Should Not be Funded by Taxpayers
There’s a lot that $63,000 can buy: a year’s worth of tuition, fees, and related expenses at Harvard; three years of healthcare costs for an average family of four; a brand new 2012 BMW Z4 Roadster with an automatic transmission and a turbocharged inline-six; or, if you’re a member of the House of Representatives, nine month’s worth of unsolicited mail.
When Regulating, Less is More
In fact, if the findings of two recent reports are any indication, government regulations are choking off a large measure of private-sector activity, and their grip is getting stronger. The first report, “License to Work,” published by the Institute for Justice (IJ) on May 8, 2012, documents the expansion of many ludicrous licensing laws. These regulations, most of which were implemented at the state level in the name of protecting consumers, often amount to incumbent businesses raising barriers to entry. For example, it is easier to make money as an electrician when potential competitors face higher hurdles to doing business in a particular area.
Trivial Resolutions Come at a High Cost to Taxpayers
According to a June 2012 Gallup poll, 79 percent of Americans disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job. Perhaps this is because legislation passed by members of Congress is all too often a reflection of their parochial rather than overarching national interests. What this means for taxpayers is that instead of focusing on job creation, deficit reduction, and turning the economy around, Congress is wasting its resources on inconsequential measures, such as commemorative resolutions.
Farm Bill Should Buy the Farm
When is $24 billion not a lot of money? When it represents all the savings taxpayers can expect from the supposedly new-and-improved Farm Bill, formally known as S. 3240, the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012, which may reach the Senate floor by mid-June. The bill, which was co-authored by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Ranking Member Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), outlines what the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates will amount to $969 billion in spending on commodity programs, rural development, farm credits, conservation, agricultural research, and nutrition programs, among others, from fiscal year (FY) 2013 to 2022.
Undocumented Workers Receive Billions in Tax Credits
On July 7, 2011, the Department of the Treasury’s Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) issued a telling report. TIGTA found that unauthorized workers who are ineligible to obtain Social Security Numbers (SSNs), the vast majority of whom are illegal immigrants, were paid $4.2 billion in refundable tax credits in 2010.
The Trouble with BLS’s Pliable Green Jobs Definition
In 2009, when Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus), economists and pundits alike scoffed at the Obama administration’s estimates of the number of jobs that the bill had “created or saved.” Greg Mankiw, Harvard economics professor and former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, called the term “an act of political […]
Though Some Cuts Made, Farm Bill is still Flush with Waste
On June 21, 2012, the Senate voted 64-35 in favor of S. 3240, the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012, which would cut the deficit by $23.6 billion over a ten year period. At first glance this seems like a lot of money, until you realize that the bill authorizes a total of $969 billion in spending for fiscal years (FY) 2013 to 2022, and that the $23.6 billion reduction represents just 2.4 percent annual savings or $2.36 billion per year over the coming decade. The legislation does eliminate some wasteful programs, such as the Average Crop Revenue Election program, direct payments, and counter-cyclical payments, but many profligate programs are left largely unreformed and new ones have been created.