swedish massages for rabbbits?

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Wastebook 2014: What Washington doesn't want you to read. - Press Releases - Tom Coburn, M.D., United States Senator from Oklahoma

Coburn has released his latest (and last as he's retiring?) "Waste book". You can download it or find the video versions at the link above.

A fascinating list of excess that you and I would never have thought of.
  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    Interestingly enough, I heard about this a few days ago, and realized something.

    I once got an apology from a friend for a late payment from his employer, a big and well known state university! He was ******SHOCKED****** when I told him it was paid, and paid promptly. He thought a while, and then revealed OH YEAH, it's the end of their fiscal year, and they probably just wanted to close the books! It turns out they were KNOWN for delaying bills, but always closed at year end!

    NOW, I am VERY aware of this, but I found that a guy that did NOT need a laptop for his job got a laptop! A NICE ONE! EVERYONE that worked with him got a laptop! WHY!?!?!?!? Because the department had extra money in their budget! You might ask OK, WHY did they intentionally WASTE money? The answer is because they wanted to make sure they had at least as much money to waste NEXT YEAR! And budgets often have limitations, so it is possible that they may have had NO money to give for raises.

    You see, they were a city department, and budgeted by the city! The city is budgeted partially by the state. The state, although ILLEGAL(Since the money is supposed to be apportioned to the states by citizen population), is budgeted partially by the country! If the department spends less than they have, their budget may be cut by the city, then by the state, and then by the country. So they see it as their duty to spend every last PENNY of the budget!

    I wonder if maybe some of this "pork" is simply an attempt to spend money, and not to gain some worthless "research info". It is ironic that they spend so much time auditing the public, and NO time auditing themselves.

    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeTucker
    Political beliefs and affiliations put aside, I find it incredibly
    difficult to trust this resource, provided by the poster boy for
    wasteful spending and taxpayer theft, who sticks outrageous riders
    on every bill he can get his grimy little fingers on?
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    ...A tachyon enters a bar.

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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      I agree with that part, Mike....but when he started posting this particular annual "list" I checked some out and they were real programs.

      Some of them are pretty funny. I agree you take this with a grain or three of salt...but ignoring it is how some of these programs got passed in the first place.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alex Blades
    You don't need a "waste book" to know that your tax dollars are being wasted on crap

    but ignoring it is how some of these programs got passed in the first place.
    Lets say rabbits ARE getting massages, it's no surprise. All it takes is a rabbit message parlor to donate to a campaign fund, and the politician will slip it in with other stuff, or in the middle of the night when nobody is around to vote on it
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeTucker
    Indeed, in most cases the tale is hardly told, I would think...

    Knowing the handful of local politicians that I do,
    I also suspect that "rabbits" is code for "bunnies"
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by MikeTucker View Post

      Indeed, in most cases the tale is hardly told, I would think...

      Knowing the handful of local politicians that I do,
      I also suspect that "rabbits" is code for "bunnies"
      I wonder how many get the veiled reference to PLAYBOY bunnies!

      You have a point though.

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    But rabbits need massages. Swedish massages. It's funny ... I saw that bit of news and for some reason, I thought of Kay (nothing bad ... just thought you would be interested in this news). Thought of posting it, and then decided not to.
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  • Profile picture of the author bizgrower
    If I ran for office, I would promise free massages for everybody.
    Just think how that would increase productivity and spending money,
    and thereby create jobs.

    <><>

    Remember:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Fleece_Award
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