Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., released his annual “Festivus Report” airing his grievances about wasteful government spending. The report uncovered more than $52 billion in governmental wasteful spending.
Sen. Paul, chairman of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight, divided the report into numerous wasteful spending sections, including Covid-19 related spending, Afghanistan, and miscellaneous spending.
“What a year it’s been. It seems like just yesterday when the national debt was $20 trillion, but now the U.S. has managed to breeze past $28 trillion! And, it’s safe to say that some big changes have occurred since last year’s Festivus Report,” the report states. “Mask mandates, travel restrictions and lock-downs were lifted across many parts of the country. President Biden was inaugurated. Inflation has skyrocketed. The Kardashians finally ended their TV show after 14 years. ‘Dad bod’ was officially added to Webster’s Dictionary.”
“And how about the Federal government? Well, unsurprisingly, it managed to keep spending money we don’t have on things we don’t need,” Paul writes.
The report revealed more than $40 billion in wasteful Covid-19 spending. The unnecessary governmental spending included sending $4.29 billion to people ineligible to receive loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), $36 billion in unemployment insurance “paid improperly, with a significant portion attributable to fraud,” and Baltimore school receiving $1.27 million in Covid relief funds for students not enrolled in the school.
Total amount of tax dollars wasted in Afghanistan was a shocking $3 billion. More than $8 billion was found on miscellaneous spending, and a whopping $11.3 million was spent on telling people in Vietnam to stop burning trash.
“No matter how much money’s already been wasted, politicians keep demanding even more. But don’t worry, I will continue to fight against government waste,” the Kentucky senator’s report states.
