According to a government report out this morning the federal government spends $100 billion per year improperly. In dollar terms, a lot of the improper payments go to programs for the poor: supplemental nutrition assistance, school lunches, Medicaid, EITC. In years past when Republicans went after waste in such programs Democrats attacked them for callousness. It will be interesting to see if the Obama administration is aggressive about tightening spending in these programs and how Congress will react.
Report:
www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d0861182-d3de-11de-8caf-00144feabdc0.html
Raw data:
Could save that in two weeks
just by pulling out of Afghanistan. One, if both Iraq and Afghanistan.
But better to keep losing 30-40 cents on the dollar on each increase in military spending. We'll soon get to that 12% unemployment rate where the funds will start making sense.
(Oh, I forgot, Stan misread Barro and confused the deadweight spending on defense with all deadweight spending. Good thing he's going after poor people; it will help his cred.)
I love what you wrote here
I love what you wrote here and I hope Obama goes after this (I voted for him but am rapidly losing confidence in his leadership). Interestingly, this analysis did not look at DoD (I think). After spending years working weapons acquisition and other mil issues, I can tell you that the waste inside the DoD is staggering. And the whole revolving door thing (which is awful at the flag level but almost as bad at the O-5 level) is stomach churning.
But you are right about the Dems. They have not been very brave in taking things on. Let's see what they do.
Great posts!!!!
A lot of the stuff you
A lot of the stuff you mentioned is administered by the states.
Could you explain just who is doing the wasting, feds or states? If the states are responsible then the Obama as well are every previous presidential administration is to blame. Lots to go around, as usual.
Congrats on the award.