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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Gambling pigeons & other US govt waste exposed | Gambling pigeons & other US govt waste exposed |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) has released his seventh annual Festivus Report, aimed at highlighting wasteful government spending, with over $50 billion included in this year’s data. | |
| The report on government spending highlighted more than $52 billion in government “waste,” broken down into topics of spending, including Covid, Afghanistan, and miscellaneous expenditures. | The report on government spending highlighted more than $52 billion in government “waste,” broken down into topics of spending, including Covid, Afghanistan, and miscellaneous expenditures. |
| Paul’s reports are known for highlighting odd research efforts that receive federal funding, and this year was no different. Included in the latest list of “grievances” from the Libertarian-leaning Republican was nearly $500,000 awarded to Reed College in Portland, Oregon to “create a token-based economy where pigeons are taught to gamble with slot machines.” | Paul’s reports are known for highlighting odd research efforts that receive federal funding, and this year was no different. Included in the latest list of “grievances” from the Libertarian-leaning Republican was nearly $500,000 awarded to Reed College in Portland, Oregon to “create a token-based economy where pigeons are taught to gamble with slot machines.” |
| Another grant worth north of $2 million went to Giant Screen Films to “reach millions of theatrical viewers across the US” with works promoting paleontology and other sciences. What came out of the spending was a documentary, an educational miniseries, and a museum exhibit to “inspire” young students. Admission to the museum was not free, according to the report. | |
| Other spending highlighted includes $250 million to “build border walls in the Middle East and North Africa,” as well as $179 million to “fund green energy programs in Africa.” | Other spending highlighted includes $250 million to “build border walls in the Middle East and North Africa,” as well as $179 million to “fund green energy programs in Africa.” |
| “It seems like just yesterday the national debt was $20 trillion, but now the US has managed to breeze past $28 trillion,” Paul said, blasting government restrictions put in place in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, like lockdowns and mask mandates. | “It seems like just yesterday the national debt was $20 trillion, but now the US has managed to breeze past $28 trillion,” Paul said, blasting government restrictions put in place in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, like lockdowns and mask mandates. |
| Much of the spending highlighted in the report was Covid-related, with Paul dubbing spending like over $4 billion on “bad loans out of the Paycheck Protection Program” and $36 billion on “unemployment insurance payments” as wasted. | Much of the spending highlighted in the report was Covid-related, with Paul dubbing spending like over $4 billion on “bad loans out of the Paycheck Protection Program” and $36 billion on “unemployment insurance payments” as wasted. |