Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Government waste

Federal Agencies Failed To Stop Nearly $186 Billion In Improper Payments
The Federalist, Approved, National

Federal Agencies Failed To Stop Nearly $186 Billion In Improper Payments

By Christopher Jacobs | The Federalist Will the public sector ever come to grips with the scale of the problem? The past year-plus has seen a focus on fighting fraud within government programs seemingly unprecedented in recent history. Yet, like the mythical Sisyphus pushing his rock uphill or the many-headed ancient Hydra, each success is seemingly matched by yet another scandalous source of government corruption. Multiple reports in recent weeks show how reformers have their work cut out for them. On the federal level, improper payments continued to grow (although the most recent fiscal year examined included the final months of the Biden administration). Meanwhile, state Medicaid programs have not fully complied with a federal requirement designed to gua...
New Federal Reforms Target Billions In State Fraud And Waste
The Federalist, Approved, Commentary, National

New Federal Reforms Target Billions In State Fraud And Waste

By Christopher Jacobs | Commentary, The Federalist A recent congressional hearing showed the scope of the state waste, fraud, and abuse problem our nation faces. A recurring theme of public policy — one that leftists often ignore — is how people respond to incentives. If the federal government runs programs that give individuals carte blanche to steal, then some unscrupulous actors will exploit those weaknesses to do so. But those incentives go beyond individuals and also extend to the fight against waste, fraud, and abuse. In many cases, states have taken little action to crack down on fraud and waste within government programs because the federal government provides the bulk of the funding for said programs. If Washington gives states a blank check regardless of wh...
Rand Paul’s Festivus Report Flags $1.6 Trillion in Federal Waste
Washington Examiner, Approved, National

Rand Paul’s Festivus Report Flags $1.6 Trillion in Federal Waste

By Molly Parks | Washington Examiner Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) released his annual “Festivus Report” on Tuesday, spotlighting over $1.6 trillion in wasteful government spending. Between discovering Veterans Affairs cash spent on teaching teenage ferrets how to binge drink to discovering $14.6 million spent on having monkeys play a Price Is Right-like video game, the Kentucky fiscal hawk bared all the quirky government waste on Tuesday. “No matter how much taxpayer money Washington burns through, politicians can’t help but demand more. Fiscal responsibility may not be the most crowded road, but it’s one I’ve walked year after year — and this holiday season will be no different. So, before we get to the Feats of Strength, it’s time for my A...
Hillman: Why Coloradans can’t have good roads
The Gazette, Approved, State

Hillman: Why Coloradans can’t have good roads

By Mark Hillman | Commentary, The Gazette ’Tis the season when Colorado highways are teeming with summer travelers, all confronted with the inescapable reality that the state government has absolutely failed in its responsibility to maintain our highways. Last month, the American Society of Civil Engineers quantified this dismal state of affairs: Barely one-third of our state roads are in “good” condition, far below the national average. According to the Colorado Department of Transportation’s analysis, 71% of highway miles under state maintenance have less than 10 years of “drivability” remaining, including more than 800 miles where the drivability life is completely exhausted. Drivers in my home of Kit Carson County know those “exhausted” lanes very well. Interstate 70 just i...
Pete Buttigieg’s DOT blew $80B on DEI while air traffic upgrades stalled
New York Post, Approved, National

Pete Buttigieg’s DOT blew $80B on DEI while air traffic upgrades stalled

By Josh Christenson | New York Post WASHINGTON — Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg failed to replace outdated air traffic control systems while in office — with his agency instead shelling out tens of billions of dollars on a DEI agenda, according to federal spending records and airline industry insiders. In one meeting, Buttigieg — who is said to be eyeing a 2028 presidential run — told industry executives that air traffic control upgrades would just allow them to fly more planes, “and so why would that be in his interest?” sources said. What his department was really interested in was handing out hundreds of diversity, equity and inclusion grants totaling more than $80 billion over four years — at least half of the DOT’s entire budget for a typical fi...
Rubio pulls the plug: State Department ends decades-old payout plan for underperforming diplomats
The Daily Caller, Approved, National

Rubio pulls the plug: State Department ends decades-old payout plan for underperforming diplomats

By Reagan Reese | Daily Caller The State Department is ending a program that for decades has given benefits and funds to low-performing diplomats rather than phasing them out of the department, according to a memo obtained by the Daily Caller. Under the Annuity Exception, Foreign Service members have been able to remain on the State Department payroll beyond their scheduled departure from the administration, the internal memo explains. The memo states that the exception violates the Foreign Service Act of 1980, which dictates who receives retirement benefits. “This program is unfortunately the perfect example of the corruption, waste, and abuse that has gone unchecked at the State Department for far too long,” a senior State Department official told the Caller. “This program had s...
Musk rips House-passed ‘Big Beautiful Bill’: “Disgusting abomination”
Approved, Daily Wire, National

Musk rips House-passed ‘Big Beautiful Bill’: “Disgusting abomination”

By Daniel Chaitin | Daily Wire "Shame on those who voted for it." On Tuesday, tech billionaire Elon Musk unleashed his ire at the House-passed version of the “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” which has the blessing of his former boss, President Donald Trump. The massive bill, which is now being considered by the Republican-led Senate, contains many provisions in line with Trump’s second-term agenda, but also is estimated to add trillions of dollars to the national debt, already nearing $37 trillion. “I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore,” Musk said in a post on X. “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.” He added in another post, “It...
Ganahl: Congress must back DOGE to cut waste and energize GOP voters for 2026
Approved, Commentary, National, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

Ganahl: Congress must back DOGE to cut waste and energize GOP voters for 2026

By Heidi Ganahl | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Under President Donald Trump, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—led by Elon Musk—is lighting a fire under Republican voters ready to rip out Washington’s waste at the roots. Launched in February 2025 via Executive Order 14158, DOGE has identified $175 billion in savings through asset sales, contract cancellations, and fraud crackdowns, including more than 12 million supposed Social Security recipients listed as over 120 years old—zombie accounts draining taxpayer dollars.  DOGE’s mission to eliminate waste has the people behind it—73% of Americans, including 89% of Republicans, support the effort. That kind of backing makes it a political powerhouse. Yet, as of now, Congress has not voted on codifying DOGE’s p...
DOGE deactivates 500,000 government-issued credit cards
National, Trending Politics

DOGE deactivates 500,000 government-issued credit cards

By Cullen McCue | Trending Politics The Department of Government Efficiency announced Wednesday that it had deactivated more than 500,000 government-issued credit cards as part of a rapidly-expanding audit that is expected to result in additional deactivations. “The program to audit unused/unneeded credit cards has been expanded to 32 agencies. After 10 weeks, more than 500K cards have been de-activated,” DOGE announced in an X post. The department noted that at the start of the audit, there were roughly 4.6 million active credit cards or accounts.When DOGE last provided an update on its credit card audit on March 11, the department had cancelled a little more than 200,000 cards across 16 agencies, representing a massive increase of cancellations in the latest update. “So still more ...
DOGE is terminating $9.4M in leases across Colorado
Approved, kdvr.com, State

DOGE is terminating $9.4M in leases across Colorado

By Maddie Rhodes | Fox31 News Government agencies nationwide are experiencing spending cuts and layoffs with billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, and leases for property across Colorado are on the list. DOGE posted a “Wall of Receipts” on its website, listing contract, grant and lease cancellations. Over $9.4 million in leases are included, totaling 355,000 square feet. FOX31 matched the list to the U.S. General Services Administration’s inventory of federal government leases, which provided additional information, including addresses. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX31 NEWS

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