WASHINGTON - About $10 billion has been squandered by the U.S. government on Iraq reconstruction aid because of contractor overcharges and unsupported expenses, and federal investigators warned Thursday that significantly more taxpayer money is at risk.
The three top auditors overseeing work in Iraq told a House committee their review of $57 billion in Iraq contracts found that Defense and State department officials condoned or allowed repeated work delays, bloated expenses and payments for shoddy work or work never done.
More than one in six dollars charged by U.S. contractors were questionable or unsupported, nearly triple the amount of waste the Government Accountability Office estimated last fall.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070216/ap_on_go_ot/iraq_reconstruction_waste_13;_ylt=Ar5OjVZwbe6hRCDd82dYC.IUewgF
And let's not forget the Tax Foundation's report showing that states which voted Republican take in more federal money than they produce...
http://www.taxfoundation.org/research/show/62.html
So - The fat cats are being fed by the current administration. The Republican Party is rewarding not those who do the best job but their buddies instead. Anyone disagree?
Originally posted by AThousandYoungYou'll get no argument from me. We only have two parties in this country: one is tax and spend, the other is cut taxes and spend. Either way, eventually, we all get screwed.
WASHINGTON - About $10 billion has been squandered by the U.S. government on Iraq reconstruction aid because of contractor overcharges and unsupported expenses, and federal investigators warned Thursday that significantly more taxpayer money is at risk.
The three top auditors overseeing work in Iraq told a House committee their review of $57 b ...[text shortened]... Party is rewarding not those who do the best job but their buddies instead. Anyone disagree?
Originally posted by AThousandYoungI think the Democrats should bring legal action against the Republicans to recover the money when they win power in the next election.
[i]WASHINGTON - About $10 billion has been squandered by the U.S. government on Iraq reconstruction aid because of contractor overcharges and unsupported expenses, and federal investigators warned Thursday that significantly more taxpayer money is at risk.
The three top auditors overseeing work in Iraq told a House committee their review of $57 b ...[text shortened]... n Party is rewarding not those who do the best job but their buddies instead. Anyone disagree?
It wasn't always so
From Benjamin Harrison's State of the union address inh 1889, on foreign relations
'Good will and cordiality have characterized our relations and
correspondence with other governments, and the year just closed leaves few
international questions of importance remaining unadjusted. No obstacle is
believed to exist that can long postpone the consideration and adjustment
of the still pending questions upon satisfactory and honorable terms. The
dealings of this Government with other states have been and should always
be marked by frankness and sincerity, our purposes avowed, and our methods
free from intrigue. This course has borne rich fruit in the past, and it is
our duty as a nation to preserve the heritage of good repute which a
century of right dealing with foreign governments has secured to us.'
and on realtionships with Iran in particular
'The friendliness of the Persian Government continues to be shown by its
generous treatment of Americans engaged in missionary labors and by the
cordial disposition of the Shah to encourage the enterprise of our citizens
in the development of Persian resources.'
and on an unexpectedly large government surplus
'The existence of so large an actual and anticipated surplus should have the
immediate attention of Congress, with a view to reducing the receipts of
the Treasury to the needs of the Government as closely as may be. The
collection of moneys not needed for public uses imposes an unnecessary
burden upon our people, and the presence of so large a surplus in the
public vaults is a disturbing element in the conduct of private business.
It has called into use expedients for putting it into circulation of very
questionable propriety. We should not collect revenue for the purpose of
anticipating our bonds beyond the requirements of the sinking fund, but any
unappropriated surplus in the Treasury should be so used, as there is no
other lawful way of returning the money to circulation, and the profit
realized by the Government offers a substantial advantage.'