Staff Reports
Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky has had enough of the outrageous spending that has been happening in Washington. Each year, he puts together a report revealing just how much taxpayer money is being wasted, and this year it was a staggering $1.6 trillion. To put that in perspective, just imagine how many ice cream trucks that could fund! But instead of sweet treats, Senator Paul found that some of this money is going toward some pretty wild (and a bit silly) projects.
For starters, can anyone explain why $5 million is being used to see how dogs react to cocaine? It makes one wonder if the government is trying to win “Best in Show” on a whole new level. That’s not all, though. There’s also $14 million dedicated to training monkeys to play video games. While this might sound like the beginning of a blockbuster comedy film, it’s actually taxpayer dollars at play. The good senator isn’t just stopping there; he’s pointing out other bizarre spending habits including schools using COVID relief money to rent baseball stadiums and fancy rooms at Caesar’s Palace. Apparently, learning happens better near the slot machines?
Senator Paul draws attention to other questionable expenditures too, such as $1.9 million spent on obesity research for children. Isn’t it common knowledge that kids just need to put down the video games and get outside? Speaking of games, a million bucks went to teaching ferrets to binge drink. Who knew animals were part of the party? One could argue there are better things to spend money on, like, say, actual educational programs.
In a further show of how the current administration spends money, Paul notes a whopping $7 billion went toward infrastructure for electric vehicle charging stations. Unfortunately, only 68 stations have been built so far. It’s like getting a big box of chocolates and only having one or two to enjoy. Talk about a letdown!
It seems like this problem of improper payments—essentially throwing money into a trough—has become the norm in government spending. Even earlier this month, a Republican senator from Iowa flagged $162 billion in improper payments made by federal agencies. These are numbers that would make even the most seasoned accountant’s head spin. It’s frustratingly simple to curb this kind of waste, yet it seems the folks in charge aren’t listening. Senator Paul is praising the administration for attempting to cut back on foreign aid and money for public broadcasting, but he’s quick to say that those changes are just a drop in the bucket compared to the massive federal debt, which now sits at a jaw-dropping $40 trillion.
This waste of taxpayer dollars is not only alarming, it’s a reminder of the responsibility that comes with managing public funds. People hard at work every day expect their contributions to be used wisely. So as this story unfolds, one can hope for a little more accountability and a lot fewer monkeys playing video games, because the American public deserves better!
