by Jack
In the “I can’t believe government is this incompetent” category, insert the latest VA hospital project in Aurora, Co. Originally expected to cost about $677 million, the bill is now $1.7 billion and rising.
From a story in the Washington Post, “There are hospital doors at the half-built Veterans Affairs medical center outside Denver that were supposed to cost $100 each but ended up running $1,400. There’s a $100-million-and-still-risingprice tag for an atrium and concourse with curving blond-wood walls and towering glass windows. And entire rooms that had to be refashioned because requests for medical equipment changed at the last minute and in other cases the equipment didn’t fit. No one had bothered to measure.
Not even completed yet, this $1.7 billion facility is already among the most expensive hospitals in the world, and it’s just one of several VA hospital projects that are greatly over budget and behind schedule, according to the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress.”
And why do you suppose it’s a sure bet that when government says they’re going to spend a buck, it winds up costing taxpayers at least two? The answer is not all that complicated. It goes back to human nature….greed and lack of oversight. We have entrusted elected bureaucrats to spend vast amounts of our money and on the other side of this coin we have people who will receive that money. So begins the project. Deals are cut that involve and ages old collusion between government and government contractors. It starts with, “You do this for me and I’ll do this for you.” And the next thing we know is a huge cost overrun. But, nobody in the Quid Pro Quo club really gives a damn because its just taxpayer money.
Speaking of veterans, here is some history—
GENERAL ORDERS No. 9.
HDQRS. ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
April 10, 1865.
After four years of arduous service, marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude, the Army of Northern Virginia has been compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources. I need not tell the brave survivors of so many hard-fought battles, who have remained steadfast to the last, that I have consented to the result from no distrust of them. But, feeling that valor and devotion could accomplish nothing that could compensate for the loss that must have attended the continuance of the contest, I determined to avoid the useless sacrifice of those whose past services have endeared them to their countrymen.
By the terms of the agreement officers and men can return to their homes and remain until exchanged. You will take with you the satisfaction that proceeds from the consciousness of duty faithfully performed; and I earnestly pray that a merciful God will extend to you his blessing and protection.
With an increasing admiration of your constancy and devotion to your country, and a grateful remembrance of your kind and generous considerations for myself, I bid you all an affectionate farewell.
R. E. LEE,
General
Appomattox Court-House, Virginia April 9, 1865.
GENERAL: In accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the 8th instant, I propose to receive the surrender of the army of Northern Virginia on the following terms, to wit: Rolls of all the officers and men to be made in duplicate, one copy to be given to an officer to be designated by me, the other to be retained by such officer or officers as you may designate. The officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms against the government of the United States until properly exchanged; and each company or regimental commander to sign a like parole for the men of their commands. The arms, artillery, and public property to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the officers appointed by me to receive them. This will not embrace the side-arms of the officers nor their private horses or baggage. This done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to his home, not to be disturbed by United States authority so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they may reside.
U. S. Grant, Lieutenant-General.
Link:
http://oldnfo.org/2015/04/15/i-missed-this-one/
Thanks RHT, Bobbie Lee was some kind of leader wasn’t he?
Other people’s money.
When the job is paid with “other peoples money” the bureaucrats have no incentive to keep costs within budget and the contractors, dealing with bureaucracy, have no incentive to please the “customer.”
Speaking of out of control bureaucracies, take California.
I have not verified the following because I have no idea how I’d do it. So let me say “its been rumored” by someone in our local farm community that a big company in SoCal just planted 500 acres of almond trees having made a deal with our corrupt politicians that they would have water for same. We all know where they will get it.
Establishing the state of Jefferson is a project that could take ten or twenty years to accomplish but we sure would do better without the “help” of Sacramento.
Guess Ms. Perry figured if Al Sharpton hasn’t been required to pay the $3 million he owes she didn’t either.
IRS Files $70K Tax Lien Against MSNBC’s Melissa Harris-Perry:
“According to the IRS, although she likely makes a substantial living anchoring a weekend MSNBC show and as a professor at Wake Forest University, the left-wing Melissa Harris-Perry does not pay her taxes. The Internal Revenue Service just placed a $70,000 tax lien against Harris-Perry.
She is the second left-wing MSNBC anchor caught not paying her fair share. Al Sharpton reportedly owes Uncle Sam upwards of $3 million.
According to Harris-Perry, a left-wing activist who frequently rails against the wealthy for not paying enough taxes, the tax bill is from 2013, and she and her husband plan to pay the lien off as quickly as possible.
Harris-Perry is most famous for her the terrible things she has said about Mitt Romney’s black grandchild, wearing tampon earrings, and telling parents that their children belong to the community.
Harris-Perry blamed the unpaid tax bill on a series of personal crises.”
http://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2015/04/16/irs-files-70k-tax-lien-against-msnbcs-melissa-harris-perry/
A series of personal crisis’…yeah, what liberal doesn’t have a series of crisis’, it goes with their life choices.
He could have said this today.
John Wayne on Liberals:
https://youtu.be/btvSE6tVHzQ
Perry and Sharpton are not alone.
Chaffetz Plan to Fire Federal Workers With Big Tax Debts Fails in the House:
“Employees of the federal government dodged a bullet Wednesday, as the House failed to pass legislation that would require federal workers to be fired if they fail to pay their federal taxes.
Republicans called up the legislation just weeks after the IRS reported that more than 100,000 federal workers owed about $1.1 billion in unpaid taxes as of last year. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), said Congress needs to send the message that it’s a privilege to be a federal worker, and that all of them must pay their taxes.
“If you’re a federal worker thumbing your nose at the federal government, not paying your taxes, then you should be eligible to be fired by the supervisor,” he said.
But Democrats opposed the bill, and said that despite the IRS’s own report, there is no problem at all with delinquent tax debts.
“This measure is based on ideology rather than facts, and will perpetuate a negative image of federal workers,” said Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.).
“I remain opposed to this legislation because the purpose and intent of the bill is the same as the measure from last Congress,” he added. “It would require federal agencies to fire, fire federal employees who are delinquent in paying their taxes.”
“If you’re a federal worker thumbing your nose at the federal government, not paying your taxes, then you should be eligible to be fired by the supervisor,” he said.
But Democrats opposed the bill, and said that despite the IRS’s own report, there is no problem at all with delinquent tax debts.
“This measure is based on ideology rather than facts, and will perpetuate a negative image of federal workers,” said Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.).
“I remain opposed to this legislation because the purpose and intent of the bill is the same as the measure from last Congress,” he added. “It would require federal agencies to fire, fire federal employees who are delinquent in paying their taxes.”
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/04/15/chaffetz-plan-to-fire-federal-workers-with-big-tax-debts-fails-in-the-house/
Democrat hypocrites. They voted for businesses to comply, but not federal workers.
Peggy there’s a great new billboard on Eaton featuring John Wayne…check it out. It’s right off the Cohasset end as you travel west. He’s kicking young men in the butt…challenging them to have some “grit.”
Fabulous!