Posted by Jeff Zeleny at 7:36 a.m. CDT
A $13 six-pack.
That finding is a fitting coda from a not-to-be-missed story in today's Hartford Courant about wasteful spending at the Department of Homeland Security. David Lightman reports the findings of a 33-page congressional report of spending at the department before and after Hurricane Katrina.
The shopping spree, financed by Uncle Sam, includes these items: $68,000 worth of dog booties, $7,000 in iPods and $208,000 in flat bottom boats (12 of which are missing).
A Swamp favorite, though, is a $227 beer-making kit so home brew could be bottled with Coast Guard-theme labels. Officials said it was a good way to make people relax -- and break the ice -- at gatherings of cadets and top officials.
The Coast Guard said homemade beer would save money. But the GAO, not missing a beat, calculated the cost of each six-pack: $13.
• 
• 
• 
• 
Comments
People can giggle at this kind of stuff, but I know I'm not alone in my outrage at this. It pinched for me to give money to that disaster, but I truly thought that it would help. I had no idea anything like this would happen. I am pissed about this, about the mismanagement of this, and will think long and hard about giving to the next disaster.
Posted by: Tom | July 19, 2006 8:58 AM
Government graft doesn't just take money out of the mouths of those suffering from disasters, either. It drives the price up of doing government business up, too. I'm sure that for all these incidents in the report there were four or five more that didn't get reported. And when another department catches wind that you can expense beer-making kits, guess what happens next? I'll bet defense is putting Homeland security to shame right now with its expense reports.
Posted by: Bill | July 19, 2006 10:50 AM
Oh for the good old days when the USAF purcahsed those toliet seats and cool screw drivers. Perhaps the "War on terrorism" is just another pork barrel like the good old "cold war" for graft and arrogance.
Maybe "his honor" could look into getting Chicago more of this gravey train funding to replace the lost revenue from his trucking scams?
Posted by: Don | July 19, 2006 11:32 AM
I do not agree that this was an example of government graft. It's an example of INDIVIDUAL fraud by hurricane victims.
What aggravates me is that the money (debit cards) handed out went to such things.
It's only because of the modern technology that we can even tell what was purchased (if folks got cash, no one could track the purchases), so we'll never be sure what has been purchased in past disasters. For the future, maybe we need to specify items that can be purchased, but how can it be enforced?
I say, prosecute everyone who spent the money on frivolous things. Ugh, human nature is amazing.
Posted by: Niblet | July 19, 2006 11:42 AM
Prosecute! Start at the top and send the bureaucrats to jail for gross mismanagement. And when they claim they didn't know, send them to jail for gross ignorance and imcompetence.
Posted by: Peter | July 19, 2006 11:57 AM
To tell you the truth I like the beer making idea, but then again I like beer.
Posted by: Rory M | July 19, 2006 12:17 PM
You know, Niblet, you really ought to read the story before embarrassing yourself with your knee-jerk comment.
Posted by: Figbash | July 19, 2006 4:03 PM
Rory, I knew we'd find something to agree on! The beer is a pretty good motivator.
Posted by: Bill | July 19, 2006 4:04 PM
The Coast Guard budget falls under Homeland Security. Therefore every dollar these fine service people spend gets the "media test" ? Every few hundred dollars for banquet supplies? Let's just hope nobody needs a rescue from their yacht soon. Really, begrudging Coasties good brew now falls under "investigative journalism"? Move on people. Those flowers on the president's desk just scream for exposure.
Posted by: mark benevides | July 20, 2006 1:03 AM