Dirty Spending Secrets

[ABM]

FWIW...

http://www.dirtyspendingsecrets.com/

 

[barfo]

You know what I'm going to say. This is dishonest.

Let's just take the first item, which like all of them is headlined "Dirty secrets Washington liberals don't want you to know".

It claims that senior government officials racked up $146 million in upgrades.

Yet if you google this issue, you'll find that

The audit focused on executive branch agencies and wholly owned government corporations and excluded travel by the judicial and legislative branches.

and that the audit covered flights

between July 1, 2005, and June 30, 2006.

Now, who was in charge of the executive branch in 2005-2006? I don't think it was the liberals.

barfo

 

[barfo]

Now for the last one, about how we spent $2.6 million teaching Chinese prostitutes how to drink responsibly....

Here's the actual story:

A $2.6 million grant will help a Wayne State University School of Medicine researcher establish and evaluate whether an alcohol and HIV intervention center can assist in reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS among sex workers in China.

Dr. Xiaoming Li, Ph.D., has secured a five-year, $2,629,634 grant from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health to study the link between alcohol use and the spread of HIV/AIDS among female sex workers in a single southern province in China. The findings could have ramifications for at-risk populations throughout the world.

Oh, and your link says:

This is the kind of wasteful spending that President Obama and Congress have stubbornly refused to cut.

Well, when do you suppose that grant was made? Yep, in 2008. Shame on Obama and Congress for failing to cut spending by the liberal Bush administration.

barfo

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Good website, ABM. This is one of the reasons we're so far in debt and have outrageous taxes.

 

[Ed O]

Now, who was in charge of the executive branch in 2005-2006? I don't think it was the liberals.

Why does it matter who was in charge? Either it's a good idea or it's not.

Ed O.

 

[barfo]

Oh, what the heck, one more. The $500K to paint a salmon on a plane? That was an earmark engineered by those famous liberals from Alaska, Republican senator Ted Stevens and Republican representative Don Young. During the liberal Bush administration, of course.

Are we starting to see a pattern here?

Now, what can we conclude about the Heritage Foundation, which seems to have put together this little bundle of lies and misinformation?

barfo

 

[barfo]

Why does it matter who was in charge? Either it's a good idea or it's not.

Ed O.

So if I say it is all Ed O's fault, that's perfectly ok? Doesn't matter who we blame, as long as it is actually a problem?

Maybe if the crops fail we could burn a witch or two?

barfo

 

[Ed O]

So if I say it is all Ed O's fault, that's perfectly ok? Doesn't matter who we blame, as long as it is actually a problem?

You can say it, sure. It doesn't undermine whether it's a problem or not.

Ed O.

 

[barfo]

You can say it, sure. It doesn't undermine whether it's a problem or not.

Ed O.

No one suggested those things aren't problems. [Edit: well, actually the prostitute thing doesn't sound like a problem]

It's not clear to me why you are defending lying about the source of the problems.

barfo

 

[3RA1N1AC]

Why does it matter who was in charge? Either it's a good idea or it's not.

Ed O.

lol really? the website is trying to bash liberals...if a bunch of these "facts" are the fault of republicans, it matters to the credibility of the link, and the link is the crux of the original post...so....really?

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I think the website bashes federal politicians in general.

 

[barfo]

I think the website bashes federal politicians in general.

I guess if you overlook the headline in huge type at the top of every page, maybe.

barfo

 

[3RA1N1AC]

"dumb republicans all feast on feces and worship satans cock"

and then a bunch of pictures of republicans cramming rolled up bibles up their asses, and sucking off gun barrels

would be bashing all politicians too

 

[ABM]

Whether it's true, or not, I've always loved playing the Conrad Dobler part.

 

[julius]

FWIW...

http://www.dirtyspendingsecrets.com/

Turns out it's not worth much.

 

[ABM]

This is an interesting 2009 report:

http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2009/10/50-examples-of-government-waste

 

[barfo]

This is an interesting 2009 report:

http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2009/10/50-examples-of-government-waste

Well, with the credibility they've established for themselves in this thread... I don't think it's worth wasting electrons on.

barfo

 

[Klinky]

Well, with the credibility they've established for themselves in this thread... I don't think it's worth wasting electrons on.

barfo

HELP! ? HOW DO I TURN MY INTERNET OFF?

I clicked the link and now a seemingly never ending flood of bullshit is flooding out my cable outlet... Oh god, my carpets!

 

[jlprk]

So...are you Republicans critical of the Republican Congress and President for doing these things?

Let's hear it then.

 

[Klinky]

So...are you Republicans critical of the Republican Congress and President for doing these things?

Who said they are Republicans... The right-wing/conservative side of things is splintering into Republican, Tea Party & Libertarian. While the Tea Party people & Libertarians don't like being grouped in with the Republicans or each other, the sad thing is that since Tea Party & Libertarian ideology is vague & rather impossible to implement, they have to live vicariously through the well funded Republicans.

 

[julius]

Funny how anything the Republicans do wrong/stupid some how isn't really the "Republicans", but an off-shoot, but everything the Democrats do IS the fault of the "liberals"

 

[jlprk]

Who said they are Republicans... The right-wing/conservative side of things is splintering into Republican, Tea Party & Libertarian. While the Tea Party people & Libertarians don't like being grouped in with the Republicans or each other, the sad thing is that since Tea Party & Libertarian ideology is vague & rather impossible to implement, they have to live vicariously through the well funded Republicans.

THIS is the weak replacement for the strong past, when leaders in the Reagan administration would "point fingers" at subordinates whom the media wasn't allowed to question?

Ah, the good old days, when Democrats took criticism and Republicans pointed fingers. Now we have the "splinter" excuse, which is a new tributary from the rich tradition of pointing fingers.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

So...are you Republicans critical of the Republican Congress and President for doing these things?

Let's hear it then.

Well, I'm not a republican or a democrat sheep, but to me government waste, fraud & abuse is equally intolerable regardless of whatever political party may be involved. Unfortunately, each side has their pork projects'

 

[Ed O]

So...are you Republicans critical of the Republican Congress and President for doing these things?

Let's hear it then.

Of course. Bush spent way too much money and put us all (including Obama) in a bad spot.

Which party is more likely, NOW, to cut spending? The GOP. It doesn't mean that its hands are clean, of course, but those past mistakes don't render the party incapable of cutting spending.

Ed O.

 

[mobes23]

Which party is more likely, NOW, to cut spending? The GOP. It doesn't mean that its hands are clean, of course, but those past mistakes don't render the party incapable of cutting spending.

Ed O.

Close, but not quite...I think the issue is how are we going to cut the deficit? I think it needs to be a combination of cuts in spending AND increased tax revenue (whether it's closing tax loopholes or some type of tax increase.) If it's a tax increase, I don't think it should just be the blanket removal of the Bush tax cuts, but instead some moderate increase from current tax rates.

It's not clear to me either party is capable of accomplishing that on it's own. I'd just wish people would focus on solutions...the blaming/fingerpointing stuff is way old and accomplishes nothing. Cut the petty crap and get 'er done.

 

[Ed O]

Close, but not quite...I think the issue is how are we going to cut the deficit?

It's fair that you think that that's the issue. Not everyone agrees with you that that's the issue.

Ed O.

 

[Klinky]

Funny how anything the Republicans do wrong/stupid some how isn't really the "Republicans", but an off-shoot, but everything the Democrats do IS the fault of the "liberals"

I think you might have it backwards. I do believe many here in off topic swing towards Libertarian / Tea Party & try to distance themselves from the Vanilla GOP/Republicans, but secretly have a crush on them because the Republicans actually have power & also the phrase "my enemy's enemy is my friend" comes to mind.

 

[mobes23]

It's fair that you think that that's the issue. Not everyone agrees with you that that's the issue.

Ed O.

Fair enough regarding tax increases (of course anyone that thinks the status quo is the way to go is CRAZY lol), but I don't see how anyone can disagree with closing some of the loopholes. Allowing people/companies to skirt paying taxes for stupid reasons is basically the same as foolish spending. Either way you're out money and get nothing in return.

 

[blazerboy30]

Fair enough regarding tax increases (of course anyone that thinks the status quo is the way to go is CRAZY lol), but I don't see how anyone can disagree with closing some of the loopholes. Allowing people/companies to skirt paying taxes for stupid reasons is basically the same as foolish spending. Either way you're out money and get nothing in return.

I don't think this is as clear-cut as you make it seem. There is a reason so many companies have established headquarters and poured money into Ireland.

 

[mobes23]

I don't think this is as clear-cut as you make it seem. There is a reason so many companies have established headquarters and poured money into Ireland.

Interesting point. How's that working out for Ireland? Also, I'm not talking only about corporate loopholes.