Tom Coburn published his “Wastebook 2012” and the details of the wasteful spending were released on October 15. The senator from Oklahoma is working tirelessly to stop the wastefulness spending of American tax money. Talking urinal cakes is just one oddity noted in the “Wastebook 2012.”
US News reported on October 15 the release of Senator Coburn’s annual “Wastebook.” Tom Coburn, the senator from Oklahoma who is also a physician, is known as “Dr. No” in Washington for his fight against wasteful spending.
The “Summary of Wastebook 2012” has listed over $18 billion worth of tax money waste that the 2012 Congress has allowed. One hundred different programs and grants are outline in the summary.
The 2012 Congress allowed the Department of Transportation to pay $10,000 for talking urinal cakes in Michigan. It is believed that the talking urinal cakes will help fight drunk driving.
“If I was drunk, I would probably think the toilet was talking to me,” Chris Rogers, from Carter County, Oklahoma, said. “Forget fighting drunk driving. That is fighting alcoholism. I don’t drink, but I’d never drink again if the toilet talked to me. Then again, it might drive me to drinking.”
“This really isn’t funny,” Rogers continued. “That $10,000 could do just about anything else and make more sense. Talking urinal cakes? My tax money should be spent on something sensible. What about books or computers for schools? What about getting rid of graffiti on traffic signs, seeing it is transportation money?”
Congress also allowed $144,419 from the Department of Transportation to pay for free bus rides during the 2012 Super Bowl. That is another waste of tax money, seeing that the NFL is considered a non-profit organization and $91 million is lost in tax loopholes for the NFL, NHL and PGA.
The Moroccan pottery class cost taxpayers $27 million. The U.S. Agency for International Development paid for a translator that was not fluent in English and could not help teach the pottery class. The materials that were to be used in the class in Morocco were not available locally.
“Congress sent money to Morocco to teach them to make pottery,” Lisa Harold, from Oklahoma City, said. “Why not teach people in America to make pottery? Better yet, spend that $27 million to teach people to use computers or drive a car or read. Is Congress really that stupid?”
Over $500,000 were used by HUD for machinery that makes pet toothpaste and shampoo. HUD is the acronym for Housing and Urban Development.
“I have no idea why a half a million dollars would be taken from HUD for pet stuff,” Chris Rogers said. “I don’t see what that has to do with housing. It seems that money would be used to help the homeless or the elderly, fixing up their homes or something related to housing.”
Those are the American tax dollars at work.
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