OT: Public Service Request

[Fritz]

As a some of you know, I work for the Federal Govt. Everyday I see very obvious examples of waste. There are many forms of waste, but the one I loath the most is when we govt. folks treat public funds like our own money.

My Public Service request is for you to write (e-mail) your Congressmen and express that you want greater responsibility and accountability when it comes to spending.

Thanks for your "ear."

[Drake]

But then where will you get the free Sour Patch Kids (tm)?

[Anrhydeddu]

govt. folks treat public funds like our own money.

It seems to me the best solution would be to vote in those folks who think it's better to give more of our money back instead of taking more of our money because they feel they have to do something?

[Fritz]

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu
It seems to me the best solution would be to vote in those folks who think it's better to give more of our money back instead of taking more of our money because they feel they have to do something?

reduced spending just means there is less to waste. The problem with this is there are programs that the govt MUST spend on, and the must these progams to a certain level for them to be effective.

We can argue over how the federal dollars should be spent and what programs should exist, but I think we could agree that public dollar should not be treated an an extension of a personal bank account.

[Anrhydeddu]

I wholeheartedly agree. But what will change the behavior? Has the system and mindset become so warped and corrupt that this is what we should always expect? I have always believed that the welfare or great society state produces a dependency on the govt (and the so-called leaders reinforce that notion over and over), not solely to provide socialistic benefits, but to ensure power and therefore, votes and spending accounts. This, I believe, is the cycle we need to change - that the Federal Govt must not be looked upon to do anything beyond what is specifically empowered in the Constitution. I guess it has to start at the grassroots, believing in a limited Federal Govt and thus, in limited spending and taxation.

[Craptacular]

Then email the upper-level management bureaurats.

[Anrhydeddu]

They would then just point fingers, I suspect. I think the bottom line is - where is the accountability? It has been said that the accountability lies with the voters but as we have seen, they keep electing those that go along with the system instead of rocking the boat. It is Congress that sets the budget and purpose for all of those beauracratic Federal Govt agencies.

[Fritz]

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu
I wholeheartedly agree. But what will change the behavior? Has the system and mindset become so warped and corrupt that this is what we should always expect? I have always believed that the welfare or great society state produces a dependency on the govt (and the so-called leaders reinforce that notion over and over), not solely to provide socialistic benefits, but to ensure power and therefore, votes and spending accounts. This, I believe, is the cycle we need to change - that the Federal Govt must not be looked upon to do anything beyond what is specifically empowered in the Constitution. I guess it has to start at the grassroots, believing in a limited Federal Govt and thus, in limited spending and taxation.

You have three seperate issues here

1.) Has the improper spending of the federal dollar become a culture?

2.) Do some people use pork spending on social progams for politcal gain.

3.) A method for transformation with a grassroots movement.


I think 1 is right on the nose. The system and the culture support abuse. Among the reasons for this are lack of effective oversight, a "use or lose" mentality, inneffective budgeting skills coupled with the feeling that "there is more money if we run out. But none of this adequately adresses abuse of the public dollar in the form of inappropriate spending.

It is well known that pork politics are a prevelent part of government, and not just in the US. My personal feeling is that much of the welfare spending directly relates to maintaining poverty and the polical power that grants some people. This does not address my concerns regarding misuse of public funds in the form of personal spending.

I agree that a more limited govt. is the way to go, with fed being reduced to core functions. But this just adresses scale, and not the problem money being used for personal use.

[Drake]

I hate the "use it or lose it" budgeting concept, though I wish I could use it for my own personal checking account.

[ACStrider]

Three words: term limits

[Draft Dodger]

anyone else frightened by the knowledge that Fritz works for the government?

[bbor]

Originally posted by Draft Dodger
anyone else frightened by the knowledge that Fritz works for the government?

Agreed....But i'm Canadian...so i am safe...unless he is involved in NAFTA

[Fritz]

Originally posted by bbor
Agreed....But i'm Canadian...so i am safe...unless he is involved in NAFTA

Or an Arms Program that is larger than your nation's GDP...

[Drake]

Fritz has arms big enough to hug the whole world.

[Fritz]

Originally posted by Drake
Fritz has arms big enough to hug the whole world.

fucking monkey genes.

Moral: Never have an experimental biologist for an uncle.

EDIT: Seriously. Try getting a shirt from brooks brothers with size 10000 arms.