Council For Citizens Against Government Waste America's #1 Taxpayer Watchdog

House Appropriations Chairman Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) went off the deep end recently when he earmarked a whopping $1 million for a swimming pool in his district.  Appropriations Committees in the House and Senate act as the gatekeepers to the lucrative business of earmarks and, as chairman, Rep. Lewis holds noteworthy influence to tack on pet projects to bills in a way that is not subject to debate or oversight.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released its audit of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) efforts in the aftermath of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina.  The report estimated that fraudulent payments totaled between $600 million and $1.4 billion.

The federal government’s continuing prosecution of medical marijuana patients undermines federalism and fiscal restraint.  For the fourth year in a row, the House will vote on an amendment sponsored by Reps. Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) and Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.).  The amendment would prohibit the federal government from arresting users of medical marijuana in states where it has been deemed legal.  The amendment does not prevent the Justice Department from prosecuting individuals using marijuana for a recreational purpose or individuals using marijuana for medicinal purposes in states where it is still considered illegal.    

Any traveler would prefer champagne, fine dining, and ample leg room on their next plane flight.  However, most people either cannot afford a premium class ticket or deem it not worth the extra expense.  Charging the tickets to the government has a way of changing the equation.  An April 2006 Government Accountability Office report revealed how some public servants are traveling like rock stars at the taxpayers’ expense.