An Outrage!

First of all, the GSA spends $823,000 Las Vegas Event, and then – to everyone’s horror – the key witness refuses to testify in front of Congress!

http://tinyurl.com/89497ps

Some quotes from the article are in order:

…an $823,000 Las Vegas conference.

Really? This is the concern? The central government spends over $3.5 TRILLION per year, and the supposed overseers of this largess are aghast at a mere six-figure sum? The amount spent by the central government annually is over FOUR MILLION TIMES the cost of this junket. The central government spends $823,000 in about ten seconds, every ten 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. (someone check my math)

Jeff Neely, a regional commissioner who oversaw the event, had been scheduled to testify today before the House Oversight Committee. He cited his Fifth Amendment rights.

I have no idea regarding the legality of such a move, but consider what it means that a member of the executive branch can refuse to testify in front of Congress when the matter at hand is government business. If Congress cannot question a member of the executive branch, what comes of checks and balances (yes, I know checks and balances no longer exist, but I’m just saying)?

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, led by Representative Darrell Issa, a California Republican, was the first of at least four congressional committees that have scheduled hearings this week on the GSA's conference spending spree.

FOUR COMMITTEE HEARINGS! I guess one isn’t enough when the witnesses are taking the fifth.

Issa has requested government-wide data about the cost and frequency of agency-funded overnight conferences and the individuals hired to plan those events.

Issa is looking for the paper clips when the real spending is walking out the back door in full view. A hearing isn’t necessary to find the real waste. Obviously, a real review of central planning and spending is not desired. But confuse the masses with the con game.

President Barack Obama was "outraged by the excessive spending, questionable dealings with contractors and disregard for taxpayer dollars," Jacob Lew, White House chief of staff, said in an April 2 e-mailed statement.

Outraged? Considering the waste of lives and wealth brought about by his administration (and every administration in the last 100 years and more), I guess I would like to know what emotions rank higher on the scale for President Obama than “outrage” to reflect his concerns of some of these.

Perhaps he is saving emotional responses for the Secret Service agents in Columbia.