Government waste report actually being read inside the beltway
On March 1, I referenced the Government Accountability Office’s upcoming report on waste and redundancy that was soon to be released. The Wall Street Journal pointed out a couple of highlights, and now it seems the report is actually being read by lawmakers and many others.
My original post is here, and the following is from the Washington Times last night.
The “duplication report,” as it’s come to be called, garnered 90,277 visits in the first week after its March 1 release — or more than three times the previous best-read item on GAO’s website, a 2008 letter on a contentious fight over an Air Force tanker deal.
Granted, just because people open it does not mean they will read it or do something about it … but it’s a start.
While readership has reached beyond the Beltway, it’s within the Capitol that the document has really hit the target, drawing praise even from the Senate’s top Democrat and the Obama White House.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, said a GAO study on government waste and duplication was “a step in the right direction” and was something that “over the long term that could save some money.” (Associated Press)
“I don’t say this very often, but I’m glad Coburn asked for that,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, told reporters after it was released. “That’s a step in the right direction. And those are some of the things we can do over the long term that could save some money.”
A step in the right direction? Hey Rep. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), why the heck didn’t you and then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) put a request in for this type of report when you were running the House and Senate the past few years?
[Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.)] had requested the GAO do this work before, but was told it was impossible. So last year, he wrote an amendment requiring the study, and attached it to a bill increasing the country’s debt limit.
Wasn’t Vice President Al Gore tasked with the same project 15 or 20 years ago?
Here is a link to the Web version and a link to the downloadable version [PDF, 2.2 MB]
8 Comments
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Are you serious? Surely we should not expect any congresscritter to read a report on waste, should we? Why would they waste their valuable time reading a report on waste if they can't be bothered to read legislation on which they'll vote? Couldn't their time be better spent meeting with lobbyists or fund raising? Where are your priorities?
Wow! So the "impossible" became possible with the election of a Republican led House? That alone was reason to elect them!
As for Gore, I think his commission on government waste was almost as successful as his commission on airline safety and security.
On the other hand, he was quite adept at raising illegal funds from Buddhist temples (between bathroom breaks from drinking too much iced tea)….
Maybe they should create a department that specifically tells the morons what department should enforce the regulations they’re passing. Wait a minute wouldn’t that be the GAO.
Poor Harry Reid…he must?have choked trying to get this out…”I don’t say this very often, but I’m glad Coburn asked for that.”?Oh, so now all of the sudden it’s a good idea? How many other good ideas have gone by the wayside?
Seems to me like he’s just trying to cover his behind for not finding the waste?when the dems had the power.?And unfortunately, he’ll probably walk away with some?of the credit for this.
And they said the Republicans had no new (or good) ideas.
And poooooor Harry is upset that cuts to one of his pet programs, the cowboy poetry festivals is heartless. As he says:
"Had that program not been around, the tens of thousands of people who come there every year would not exist.”
Harry, do you mean these cuts are like a tragic tsunami?
If you have to fund a poetry reading to get people to attend then its really not worth anything to anybody.
Of course, this takes away the excuse that politicians can't read, making their passage of the unread Øbamacare bill all the more egregious.
Oh Sammy22, I'm waiting for your comment on this. Thank you Steve, there is a ray of hope, I needed something to be optimistic about and you've done it.