It’s funny how sometimes we just disregard the Constitution and the specific powers it gives to each branch of the federal government. I learned as well as many others in the ninth grade that the power of the purse is given to the Congress, so the citizens have some influence and comments on how their tax dollars were going to be spent. Funny how that never really worked out since there are so many projects funded through earmarks.
Government Credit Cards and Hurricane Katrina
The damage inflicted by Hurricane Katrina left no question that taxpayers would be paying a hefty bill for rescue and reconstruction. In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, more than $39 million of that bill was paid for by federal employees with government credit cards. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) will soon release the first comprehensive audit of Katrina-related emergency expenditures. A December 27, 2005 Associated Press article provided a glimpse at what the report might include; namely, charges that were excessive or used for purposes other than Katrina relief.