Townhall.com, Where Your Opinion Counts
Talk Radio:   Bill Bennett   Mike Gallagher   Dennis Prager   Michael Medved   Hugh Hewitt   
BREAKING NEWS  LeftArrow - Townhall.com : Conservative, Political, Republican   RightArrow - Townhall.com : Conservative, Political, Republican  
Columns, funnies & more in your inbox!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
John McCaslin :: Townhall.com Columnist
Spending Spree
by John McCaslin
Vote on It:
Average Vote:
[+] Text [-]
 
Poll
Who won Tuesday's presidential debate?


"Here we go again," reacts the Project on Government Oversight to the new Senate report on fraudulent use of government-issued credit cards by federal employees, which POGO first investigated in 2002.

"Over the years, purchase card holders have bought Atlanta Braves tickets, Victoria's Secret merchandise, jewelry, cell phones, tires, escort services, and in one instance we found an inventive federal employee who purchased breast enhancement surgery for his girlfriend."

Delivery rate

More incentive perhaps for U.S. government gals to get pregnant.

We see that a bill was forwarded to several House committees this week that would provide that eight of the 12 weeks of parental leave made available to a federal employee shall be "paid leave."

It's McCain, stupid

It's been one month since Sen. Bill Nelson, Florida Democrat, wrote a letter to Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean warning that the party faced the "biggest train wreck you've ever seen" because of the unresolved issue of seating Florida and Michigan delegates to the national convention.

Now Mr. Nelson has told colleagues that the DNC "has completely rejected all the attempts" he has made to seat the delegates, and as a result the party is now living the "drama we see playing out in front of our eyes."

Still, the senior senator from Florida, who wound up suing Mr. Dean and the DNC over the slight — the lawsuit was eventually dismissed by a federal court judge on constitutional grounds — is now predicting this week that "reason" eventually will prevail and the delegation "will be seated. Because at some point, the party chieftains are going to understand that if you want to win the election in November, you can't 'dis' the delegations from Florida and Michigan."

Bunching Muslims

Speaking of Howard Dean, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee says presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain should be held accountable for his latest "gaffe" on Iraq.

When Mr. McCain questioned a testifying Army Gen. David H. Petraeus on Capitol Hill this week "he again confused the difference between Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims," Mr. Dean noted yesterday. Continued...

1 2
| Full Article & Comments | Next >
Share:
Vote on It:
Average Vote:
 
About The Author

John McCaslin is a contributing columnist on Townhall.com and author of Inside The Beltway: Offbeat Stories, Scoops, and Shenanigans from around the Nation's Capital .

Be the first to read John McCaslin's column. Sign up today and receive Townhall.com delivered each morning to your inbox.

Subject: These abuses should be firing offenses!
No ifs ands or buts, you misuse a Taxpayer credit card, you lose your job and all benefits. Either that or your entire salary is confiscated until the debt is repaid.

credit cards
I think you are confusing the travel credit card with the government credit card programs. At least in my agency, there was good oversight of the govt credit cards. there were only a few individuals who were cleared to use them and their first level supervisors had to review the purchases before they went to my budget analysts. It was 100% more efficient then trying to get a purchase order cut, and the vendors having to wait to get paid (USG is notorious as a slow payer).

I agree that the travel card program is a PITA to manage, and employees who can't manage money are tempted to use the card improperly. My agency contract with the credit card provided a percentage kickback, and so headquarters was always pushing to get more charges and less reimbursement by govt check. Plus the travel card is in the traveler's name and on his credit. If traveler wasn't paying then management had to
threaten him with adverse action, etc.
Sign Up to Post Your CommentsSign Up to Post Your Comments
If you are already registered, click here to login. Otherwise, please take a few seconds to register with Townhall.com. Once you sign up, you’ll be able to post your comments immediately, use the action center, get podcasts, and more!
Note: Fields marked with a red asterisk (*) are required.
Salutation:
First Name:
*
Last Name:
*
Email:
*
Nickname:
*
Note: Nick name will be shown when you post comments.
Address 1:
*
Address 2:
City:
*
State:
*
Zip:
*
Phone:
      
Your daily dose of conservative columns, editorial cartoons, talk radio, news, and more!
(Bi-Weekly) We highlight the best opportunities from our partners for surveys, action items and more.