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Opinion

Out and About

| Sandi Kemp
I think it is awesome that DOGE is looking into waste, fraud and abuse of our federal dollars. It is way past time that someone is doing this. Technically, it should have been the media looking into waste, fraud or abuse. If they had, that is the kind of work that should win Pulitzers, not writing fake stories about fake hoaxes. The IRS has always had the ability to look into our bank accounts and had no issue whatsoever asking for receipts. I think it is about time that there is someone looking into how our federal government is spending our hard-earned money we have to pay as “income tax.” As one newscaster said the other evening, “It is about time the government is having a cavity check.” With all the spending that has been going on, especially since COVID, there is no way it would be sustainable. And I’m sure our president is looking for every way possible to not have to raise our taxes – as much as it is probably needed. I really don’t think there is any way around it – but at least if we can save a few billion dollars here or there, we won’t have as much of a tax increase. Every time the federal government came up with a new program during COVID – I always said out loud to the TV, “Who is going to pay for that?” And every time we gave billions of dollars to Ukraine, I would say the same and add, “Who is making sure they are spending the money on what they said they would spend it on?”   

And, regarding subscriptions for Politico, I saw the following and it made me laugh:

I just want to make sure I’m following this correctly:

Politico: “Hey government, what have you been up to?”

The Government: “We’ve been doing A, B and C.”

Politico: “Great, Thanks!”

Politico: “Hey Government, just so you know, you’ve been doing A, B and C.”

The Government: “Thanks for letting us know! Here is $8.4 million annually.”

Millions of dollars for subscriptions to something called Politico Pro, a service which helps the government know what the government is doing. Reality: The government purchasing favorable coverage.

And, if you hear that someone is going to be arrested for looking into what the government is spending our money on – that could not happen – constitutionally. We are supposed to have a “regular statement and account of the receipts and expenditures.” And – it is to be published. That is the legal ad I want in our newspapers. The problem is, define regular. And, why hasn’t anyone been publishing this list?

“Article 1, Section 9, Clause 7: No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law; and a regular statement and account of the receipts and expenditures of all public money shall be published.

This statement is directly from the United States Constitution and is commonly referred to as the “Appropriations Clause;” it essentially means that no government funds can be spent unless Congress has first approved an appropriation (a law authorizing the spending) for that purpose, and the public must be regularly informed about how government money is being used through published statements of receipts and expenditures.

Quote of the Week: Imagine a political party so corrupt they need to convince their people that accountability is illegal. Unknown.   (I don’t think we need to use our imagination anymore.)

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