while I would never state that it is privy to this administration, it sure does look like anything goes. Here are some examples:
1.A reality TV show in India. The Department of Agriculture’s Market Access Program spends $200 million a year to help U.S. agricultural trade associations and cooperatives advertise their products in foreign markets. In 2011, it funded a reality TV show in India that advertised U.S. cotton.
Studying pig poop. The Environmental Protection Agency awarded a $141,450 grant under the Clean Air Act to fund a Chinese study on swine manure and a $1.2 million grant to the United Nations for clean fuel promotion.
Amtrak snacks. Federally subsidized Amtrak lost $84.5 million on its food and beverage services in 2011 and $833.8 million over the past 10 years. It has never broken even on these services.
Using military exercises to boost biofuels. The U.S. Navy bought 450,000 gallons of biofuels for $12 million—or almost $27 per gallon—to conduct exercises to showcase the fuel and bring it closer toward commercialization. It is the largest biofuel purchase ever made by the government.
Conferences for government employees. In 2008 and 2009 alone, the Department of Justice spent $121 million to host or participate in 1,832 conferences.
The most unproductive and unpopular Congress in modern history –
(Congress) $132 million .................................................. .............................................. 4
2. Professional sports loophole – (Taxes) $91 million .......................................... 7
3. OH SNAP! Junk food, luxury drinks, soap operas, and billions of dollars
in improper food stamp payments – (Department of Agriculture) $4.5
billion .................................................. .................................................. ............................... 10
4. Oklahoma keeps unused airport open to collect federal checks – (OK)
$450,000 .................................................. .................................................. ........................ 13
5. Moroccan pottery classes – (U.S. Agency for International Development)
$27 million .................................................. .................................................. .................... 15
6. Out-of-this-world Martian food tasting – (HI) $947,000 .............................. 17
7. When robot squirrels attack – (CA) $325,000 .................................................. . 20
8. USDA’s caviar dreams – (ID) $300,000 .................................................. ............... 22
9. Bailed out tourist boat sinking private business – (AK) $3.3 million ...... 24
10. Phantom, unused grant accounts draw fees – (Department of Health and
Human Services) $2 million .................................................. ..................................... 28
and from the Heritage foundation:
http://www.heritage.org/research/rep...e-numbers-2012