A June 2014 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) revealed that, from 2008 to 2012, coin management costs associated with the Federal Reserve increased by 69 percent. Additionally, the agency had failed to identify potential measures to save costs. The Federal Reserve Banks of the United States are in charge of meeting the coin […]
End Ex-Im Once and For All
This fall, Congress will have an opportunity to shut off a massive spigot of corporate welfare that costs taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars each year. All that senators and representatives have to do is what they do best: absolutely nothing. When the authorization for the Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank) expires on September 30, 2014, Congress should not renew its charter.
Fatally Long Waits and Red Tape
At the corner of Vermont Avenue and H Street in northwest Washington, D.C., a single structure’s exterior bears a bronze plate engraved with the words “To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan.” The building is the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the phrase, uttered by President Abraham Lincoln, is the agency’s motto. Sadly, this goal is not being met, and, disappointingly, it hasn’t been for nearly a decade.
GAO Report Shows Duplicative Spending on Software Licenses
Federal agencies are missing opportunities to save money in their software license purchases, according to a May 2014 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) has been following this issue for some time, including a May 10, 2013 briefing on Capitol Hill highlighting the problems with software asset management in the federal government.
Federal Agency Hands Out Participation Trophies
According to the website for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the mission of the agency “is to make markets for consumer financial products and services work for Americans — whether they are applying for a mortgage, choosing among credit cards, or using any number of other consumer financial products.” The agency came into existence […]
The ‘Real’ Problem with Federal Real Property Management
When it comes to processing its inventory of real property, which includes buildings, structures, and land, the federal government has a real problem.
Smother Operation Choke Point
Imagine walking into a bank and finding out that your account has been closed, not because you have done anything fraudulent or illegal, but simply because the industry in which you work has been deemed unsavory by the government. The Department of Justice’s (DOJ) “Operation Choke Point” has the purported intention of reducing crimes, such as fraud, identity theft, and money laundering. However, rather than filing a complaint in court, DOJ is “choking off” banking services to entities that have been labeled as questionable. Regardless of its stated intent, the program is deliberately preventing law-abiding citizens from engaging in legitimate activites.
Communications Breakdown
By Deborah Collier On April 30, 2014, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler gave the keynote address (http://www.fcc.gov/document/chairman-tom-wheeler-remarks-ncta) at the 2014 Cable Show in Los Angeles. In a forceful speech, he declared that it was time to follow up on the January 2014 court decision on net neutrality and establish rules over Internet service […]
Bah Humbug! You’re A Mean One, Uncle Sam
The Christmas season may be long departed, but the Grinch (in the form of Uncle Sam) is working hard to dampen the magic of the holiday season by stealing the gift of a free market system right out from under the noses of U.S. taxpayers.
Lights, Camera, Action? Not Without Tax Incentives
State governments across the country have enacted movie production incentives (MPIs), most commonly through tax credits, in an attempt to lure that business to their states. While the expenditures on these tax incentives are easily quantifiable, the same cannot be said for the benefits that their supporters claim are produced.