As Americans prepare for summer vacations and trips to visit family and friends, there is a good chance they will be subjected to a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening system that is so badly mismanaged it has drawn comparisons to Comedy Central’s South Park.
CAGW Outraged by HHS OIG’s Latest Improper Payment Review
Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) was outraged, if not surprised, at the report from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) showing the ongoing failure of HHS executives to accurately report and prevent improper payments. With the government-wide improper payment total at a staggering $137 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2015 (and rising), the OIG outlines some of the steps that agency has taken to stem the tide of red ink, but finds significant operational failures, in both its reporting of improper payments and implementing corrective action plans.
GAO Duplication Report Pinpoints the Waste in Washington
When House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) famously exclaimed, “The cupboard is bare! There’s no more cuts to make,” in 2013, the national debt stood at $17 trillion. Since then, the debt has risen to more than $19 trillion with no sign of abatement. Members of Congress often use this growing figure as a prelude to promise to cut “waste, fraud, and abuse,” especially as they campaign for their jobs. But, once they return or first come to Washington, they seem to have a hard time eliminating the waste, even though it is fairly easy to locate.
Inspectors General Under Threat
One of the most effective tools for identifying and preventing waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in the federal government are the offices of Inspectors General (OIGs) at 72 federal departments and agencies. Their stated goal is to “combat waste, fraud, and abuse in the programs and operations of that agency.”
Obamacare’s Festering Fraud Wound
On June 25, 2015, President Obama made a bold proclamation regarding his signature healthcare law: “As the dust has settled, there can be no doubt that this law is working.” He doubled down by adding that it “is working exactly as it’s supposed to.” President Obama’s comments that day illustrate his continued unwillingness to accept the consequences of his healthcare takeover. Ever since the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) became law, he has ignored the panoply of problems that plague the law and the wasteful government agencies it empowered.
Rethinking the War on Poverty
Last month, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) convened a summit of top conservative thinkers and presidential candidates to showcase free-market alternatives to fighting poverty in the United States. The Kemp Forum on Expanding Opportunity was named in honor of Speaker Ryan’s political mentor, New York congressman, HUD secretary, and Vice-Presidential candidate, Jack Kemp. Most of the media coverage marveled at how “wonky” and “low-octane” the event was, compared to the clamor of the 2016 race for the White House. The underlying message throughout the long policy discussions was that addressing poverty deserves a new approach.
Scrubbing Oppressive Federal Regulations
The current political conversation is dominated by taxes and spending, which leaves out one of the most impactful activities of the federal government: regulations. The burdens that regulations place on individuals and businesses are often overlooked and underreported; the regulatory process is long overdue for major reform.
Single-Payer VA Healthcare Fails America’s Veterans
By any measure, those that serve in America’s military are the best of the nation. They sacrifice life and limb to defend the United States. They deserve the best medical care when they return home. However, numerous investigations over the past several years have exposed a systemic cancer of mismanagement and neglect in the federal department tasked with that care.
IRS Commissioner Impeached by House Committee
Since the U.S. Constitution was adopted in 1789, the House of Representatives has filed articles of impeachment just 17 times and only eight times did the Senate convict. Alexander Hamilton wrote that impeachment should be reserved for “those offenses which proceed from the misconduct of public men, or, in other words, from the abuse or violation of some public trust.”
Government “Shutdowns”: History and Consequences
During the weeks before fiscal year (FY) 2015 ended on September 30, 2015, many in Washington and across the nation braced for the potential of a “government shutdown.” But, on that last day of FY 2015, Congress passed a short-term continuing resolution (CR) that avoided a shutdown and funded the government through December 11. On October 2, President Obama vowed to veto any further short-term funding bills. With the specter of the second government shutdown in three years looming for the holidays, it is helpful to understand how a shutdown works and what the consequences might be.