The Festivus Report 2021

[TNVOLNAVY]

$52,598,515,585 down the drain.

• Foreign countries use our aircraft for free for 4 years (DOD)........................$773,000,000
• US bought Afghanistan planes that were later thrown away (DOD)................$549,000,000
• US-constructed buildings in Afghanistan left sitting unused (DOD) ............$2,400,000,000
• COVID relief grant for NYC to display art projects across the city..................$25,000,000
• Ineligible and duplicate PPP loans (SBA)...........................................$4,290,000,000
• Improper CARES Act unemployment insurance payments.....................$36,000,000,000
• Constructing border walls in the Middle East and North Africa (DOD)...........$250,000,000
• Free trips for Korean kids to visit D.C. (USAID).......................................... $150,000
• Grinding up ferrets to develop COVID and flu vaccines...............................$4,500,000
• Tax Credit incentivizing CA residents to uninstall fireplaces..........................$2,100,000
• Translating books into the Georgian language (State)............................... ......$182,741
• Teaching French people about US culture (State).........................................$200,000
• Giving irrigation systems to Afghan farmers left unused (USAID)................. $88,000,000
• Developing a film about dinosaurs to inspire middle schoolers (NSF)............... $2,500,000
• Pigeons playing slot machines (NIH)........................................................$465,339
• Telling people to not burn their trash (USAID)........................................$11,300,000
• Funding Green Energy programs in Africa (State)....................................$179,000,000
• DC Metro paid Lyft to subsidize riders......................................................$28,005
• Attempting to replace an assault vehicle over 2 decades (DOD)................ $3,400,000,000
• Funding the Wilson Center to put on parties for Congressmen.....................$14,000,000
• Study verified that hearing bad news decreases happiness levels (NIA)...............$1,300,000
• Planting trees in New York City.........................................................$400,000,000
• Government paid for students who didn’t actually attend those schools.............$2,100,000
• Kids crave junk food and gain weight if they’re exposed to it (NIDDK)................$352,000
• Getting high schoolers excited about being airplane pilots (FAA).....................$5,000,000
• Fattening eels for human consumption (FDA)..............................................$337,500
• Social Security overpayments to beneficiaries in Fiscal Year 2019 (SSA).........$4,200,000,000

https://www.paul.senate.gov/sites/default/files/page-attachments/Festivus Report 2021_0.pdf

 

[AshG]

I wonder how much was spent on paying his aides to assemble that.

Very interesting information, I'm not taking that away from it.

 

[lawgator1]

Rand Paul, against government spending on disasters in other states.... until Kentucky got hit by tornadoes.

Just another hypocrite and in many respects much worse because he pretends to have the moral high ground on spending. He's a fraud.

 

[AshG]

Rand Paul, against government spending on disasters in other states.... until Kentucky got hit by tornadoes.

Just another hypocrite and in many respects much worse because he pretends to have the moral high ground on spending. He's a fraud.

I liked his dad much better.

 

[Rasputin_Vol]

Rand Paul, against government spending on disasters in other states.... until Kentucky got hit by tornadoes.

Just another hypocrite and in many respects much worse because he pretends to have the moral high ground on spending. He's a fraud.

???

 

[davethevol]

???

That’s been the lib talking point lately. I haven’t seen anything that proves that to be true.

 

[Septic]

???

He's accused of railing against using federal funds in NY, FL, LA for relief after major weather events, but immediately requested federal cash for KY relief after the tornados.

 

[Septic]

That’s been the lib talking point lately. I haven’t seen anything that proves that to be true.

Really?

Lots of articles that demonstrate his lack of other relief efforts or minimalist support with major caveats.https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opini...re-rand-paul-s-hypocrisy-disaster-ncna1286349

 

[whodeycin85]

I see where Rand asked for funds, I see where he voted against it for other states saying he would have voted for them if they pulled the money from another part of the budget instead of raising the debt limit....seems releasing this festivus report proves what he asked about reallocation of funds from foreign spending...773 million would have covered all disasters and that just 1 portion of spending..he never once has said he didn't want KY releif to be in the same way..

 

[Vol8188]

I wonder how much was spent on paying his aides to assemble that.

Very interesting information, I'm not taking that away from it.

I’m sure the cost to determine how much we wasted was less than 52 billion. What’s really sad to me is that 52 billion is now a drop in the bucket in terms of government spending

 

[ButchPlz]

I’m sure the cost to determine how much we wasted was less than 52 billion. What’s really sad to me is that 52 billion is now a drop in the bucket in terms of government spending

Heck, an agency I have colleagues that work under has several billion in unpaid (overdue) obligations just floating out there.

 

[lawgator1]

I see where Rand asked for funds, I see where he voted against it for other states saying he would have voted for them if they pulled the money from another part of the budget instead of raising the debt limit....seems releasing this festivus report proves what he asked about reallocation of funds from foreign spending...773 million would have covered all disasters and that just 1 portion of spending..he never once has said he didn't want KY releif to be in the same way..

The issue is that if New Orleans needed $ after a hurricane he slowed it down, going on and on about offsetting to pay for it. But for his state? Not so much.

 

[whodeycin85]

The issue is that if New Orleans needed $ after a hurricane he slowed it down, going on and on about offsetting to pay for it. But for his state? Not so much.

That makes ilhim as @$$ not a hypocrite

 

[Rasputin_Vol]

He's accused of railing against using federal funds in NY, FL, LA for relief after major weather events, but immediately requested federal cash for KY relief after the tornados.

I see that. I want to see the specific examples of this.

 

[Septic]

That makes ilhim as @$$ not a hypocrite

Perhaps you understand what the term hypocrite means?

Not wanting to give money to others out of federal coffers following natural disasters and then asking for it when its his state that gets hit, is by definition - hypocritical.

 

[OrangeTsar]

Rand Paul, against government spending on disasters in other states.... until Kentucky got hit by tornadoes.

Just another hypocrite and in many respects much worse because he pretends to have the moral high ground on spending. He's a fraud.

He is also maybe the most morally consistent Senator on the rights of citizens to be free of government overreach even when it means bucking his own party. You can easily disagree with the man, but he is anything but a fraud. I never see eye to eye (good pun for an eye doctor no) with Rand nor his Father and see the libertarian wing of the Party as rather naive and short sighted, but I admire their logical consistency

 

[whodeycin85]

Perhaps you understand what the term hypocrite means?

Not wanting to give money to others out of federal coffers following natural disasters and then asking for it when its his state that gets hit, is by definition - hypocritical.

Did he specify where the money would come from???? If he had said he didn't care where it came from then yes he is a hypocrite. .if not then he just an @ss...and did the debit ceiling already get raised??? And he points out government waste spending which supports his belief that disaster money should come from foreign waste..
So untill he says where the KY disaster reilef should come from..he's just an @ss....plus he never said those others states shouldn't get the relief, just don't raise the debit cieling to do it...
HYPOCRITIE...person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion. 2 : a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.

 

[TheDirector]

That’s been the lib talking point lately. I haven’t seen anything that proves that to be true.

They saw it on twitter and tik tok so it must be true

 

[utvolpj]

Must be a Dem in office since the fiscal conservatives are out of hibernation

 

[lawgator1]

He is also maybe the most morally consistent Senator on the rights of citizens to be free of government overreach even when it means bucking his own party. You can easily disagree with the man, but he is anything but a fraud. I never see eye to eye (good pun for an eye doctor no) with Rand nor his Father and see the libertarian wing of the Party as rather naive and short sighted, but I admire their logical consistency

You are just completely changing the subject.

And the irony is that while you tout his libertarian view on SOME things, you also ignore his big government position on others. In particular disaster spending in Kentucky.

Bear in mind I support such funding. Those folks need and will need for along time a ton of help. There but for the Grace ....

My point is simply that Rand Paul is, at the end of the day, just another politician who is particularly annoying due to his holier than thou attitude on such issues.

 

[FLVOL69]

You are just completely changing the subject.

And the irony is that while you tout his libertarian view on SOME things, you also ignore his big government position on others. In particular disaster spending in Kentucky.

Bear in mind I support such funding. Those folks need and will need for along time a ton of help. There but for the Grace ....

My point is simply that Rand Paul is, at the end of the day, just another politician who is particularly annoying due to his holier than thou attitude on such issues.

You complaining about govt spending after supporting this illegitimate regime and their Build back bankrupt plan is hilarious

 

[Grand Vol]

I see that. I want to see the specific examples of this.

Twisted out of context (once again) by those who won't give you the Paul Harvey version...

Sen. Rand Paul's aid request for tornado damage faces backlash

In 2013, for example, Paul voted against aid for Northeast states hit by Hurricane Sandy.

"I would have given them ($)9 billion and I would've taken the ($)9 billion from somewhere else," Paul said in an interview with a local outlet at the time. "I would have taken it from foreign aid and said, 'you know what, we don't have money for Egypt or Pakistan this year because we have to help the Northeast.'"

He used similar logic to justify his "no" vote on disaster relief for Texas and Louisiana after Hurricane Harvey. And in 2017, he explained in an op-ed for The Hill that he would oppose aid for Puerto Rico and Texas after Hurricane Maria because the nation should "plan ahead" for necessary disaster relief.

"They say we are out of money to pay for hurricane relief. So instead of finding that money somewhere else in the budget, they simply want to raise the limit on our credit card," Paul wrote. "This has to stop. We spend too much. We owe too much. We cannot keep spending money we do not have."

And his explanation after liberals go screeching their heads off over his "hypocrisy" on the matter:

Paul, in a statement to ABC News, refuted claims that he's been inconsistent.

"The truth is that I've consistently advocated for FEMA disaster money for Kentucky over my 11 years in office, dozens of times. When additional supplemental disaster funds above that budgeted each year have been sought, I have asked that the additional money come from cutting waste elsewhere in the budget," Paul said.

Hopefully this can un-wad the underwear of some of our resident hypocrites... but probably not.

 

[VolStrom]

Twisted out of context (once again) by those who won't give you the Paul Harvey version...

Sen. Rand Paul's aid request for tornado damage faces backlash



And his explanation after liberals go screeching their heads off over his "hypocrisy" on the matter:



Hopefully this can un-wad the underwear of some of our resident hypocrites... but probably not.

Just to follow up on a sore spot for me:

In 2013, for example, Paul voted against aid for Northeast states hit by Hurricane Sandy.

Hurricane Sandy was deliberately declassified from a "hurricane" to a "super storm" to allow people in the northeast to claim damages on their homeowners' insurance, since most didn't have hurricane insurance. This was one of the biggest frauds ever perpetuated against the rest of the country that paid insurance.

 

[lawgator1]

Twisted out of context (once again) by those who won't give you the Paul Harvey version...

Sen. Rand Paul's aid request for tornado damage faces backlash



And his explanation after liberals go screeching their heads off over his "hypocrisy" on the matter:



Hopefully this can un-wad the underwear of some of our resident hypocrites... but probably not.

When did he look for the off-set? A year later?

But good try.

 

[Grand Vol]

When did he look for the off-set? A year later?

But good try.

Can you prove that he didn't look for offset for a year?

Good luck trying.