Weekly Wastebasket

Our weekly reality-check for federal spending.

Budget Busting Beaches

July 03, 2013 | Budget & Tax

Budget Busting Beaches Volume XVIII No. 27: Some people daydream about sleeping on a pile of money. Well, if you take a sun-drenched snooze on the beach for... Read More

Golden Fleeced in Alaska

Golden Fleeced in Alaska Volume XVIII No. 26: The late-Sen. William Proxmire (D-WI) – who entrusted the “Golden Fleece” to us after his retirement – gave out... Read More

Farm Bill Buys the Farm

June 21, 2013 | Agriculture , Budget & Tax

Farm Bill Buys the Farm Volume XVIII No. 25: A funny thing happened on the way to pass the House Farm Bill. It failed. 195-234. Oops. That wasn’t supposed to... Read More

Dud Defense

June 14, 2013 | National Security

Dud Defense Volume XVIII No. 24: The House of Representatives closed out the week by adopting their fiscal year 2014 National Defense Authorization... Read More

Flood Insurance Fiasco

Flood Insurance Fiasco Volume XVIII No. 23: You can’t get something for nothing. Congress often forgets that. We saw it this week with some lawmakers hell... Read More

What, Me Worry?

May 31, 2013 | Budget & Tax

What, Me Worry? Volume XVIII No. 22: Americans could be forgiven if it seems that the nation’s capital has been infiltrated by an army of Alfred E.... Read More

Harvesting Even More from Crop Insurance

Harvesting Even More from Crop Insurance Volume XVIII No. 21: This week’s Wastebasket is part two of two. Last week, we analyzed the “Rear View Farm Bill” being considered in... Read More

Rear View Farm Bill

May 17, 2013 | Agriculture

Rear View Farm Bill Volume XVIII No. 20: This week’s Wastebasket is part one of two. Stay tuned next week for more about how Washington can save taxpayer... Read More

Pork Floats

Pork Floats Volume XVIII No. 19: Congressional pressure to pass a massive bill chock full of new water projects has gotten to the point that the... Read More

Sandy at Six Months

Sandy at Six Months Volume XVIII No. 18: Sandy came roaring into New York and New Jersey six months ago this week. It’s been almost four months since... Read More

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