Calblog

Appalling Waste

The General Accounting Office has issued a report detailing the appalling waste of some $100 million in unused, and often, reimbursable airline tickets. As the article points out, this egregious waste in the face of the money needed to conduct the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is particularly galling in light of the fact that our soldiers are somewhat ill-equipped:

"'At a time when our soldiers are patrolling the streets of Iraq in unarmored Humvees, and when the Bush Administration is asking for record Defense spending, Secretary (Donald H.) Rumsfeld is letting hundreds of millions of dollars that could be used to protect our troops and our country go to waste,' said Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Illinois, one of three lawmakers who ordered the studies."

It seems to me that the airlines in question should be forced to do their patriotic duty and pony up the same amount, to be used towards our war efforts, especially since they received an undeserved federal bailout right after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. In addition, those employees involved, too lazy to return the unused tickets, should be docked an amount equivalent to the airfare. This money should be earmarked for defense spending as well. Last, all of those who flew first and business class, instead of coach, should be docked the difference, and the total collected could be distributed among the families who have lost sons and daughters in Iraq and Afghanistan.
As a taxpayer used to seeing such government waste on a grand scale, I am not holding my breath.