The NY Times via the Associated Press is shocked to discover the novel concept of government waste. This story details millions (millions I say!) in "unauthorized" premium air travel.
The first funny bit is the millions. It's kind of like the scene in Austin Powers where Dr. Evil demands "A MILLION DOLLARS" to not destroy the world and everyone cracks up. I wonder if the cost of the accounting process is not greater than the amount of abuse uncovered here.
The second funny bit is the notion that the only wasteful part of Government travel expenses are the premium tickets. HEY!!! it's almost ALL waste. The coach fares, the per diems, the hotel bills, the whole shooting match.
The third funny bit is how much like junior high school the Federal bureaucracy is. One boss had a subordinate OK his premium travel. Another had a colleague write him a note that was supposed to come from an MD. It's right up there with "the dog ate my homework".
The funniest bit of all though is self righteous Legislators indignantly protecting us from the bureaucratic wastrels while at the same time refusing to desist from or reform the earmarking process that chews up billions, not mere millions. Take Senator Grassley for example: ''The federal employees who like to stretch their legs while they fly need to realize they've already stretched the taxpayer's purse by $146 million.''
I think I'll give Jesus the punchline here: " first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."
1 comment:
As written, your opening sentence has an anti-NYT slant that must have been satisfying to write, but I think this is more accurately described as a discovery of the Associated Press (via The New York Times) rather than vice versa. The NYT only enters this as the particular conduit for the wire service story.
Post a Comment