Feds blow $100 billion a year on incorrect payments

Between 2002 and 2012, federal agencies spent more than half a trillion dollars ($688 billion) on payments that should never have been made. 

Every year, according to their own record-keeping, the agencies that administer major federal programs are now paying out more than $100 billion improperly, and even though they're aware of the problem, they recover only a tiny fraction for taxpayers. This adds up to huge losses for the U.S. Treasury.

In 2012 alone, the Office of Management and Budget gathered data on just 13 high-error programs in the federal government, and determined that they made a combined $101.3 billion in improper payments. To put that in perspective, that's almost $16 billion more than the highly controversial budget sequester wound up cutting from government spending in 2013.

The government doesn't get a whole lot of that money back. In July, then-Controller of the Office of Management and Budget Daniel Werfel testified in a Senate hearing that over the preceding two years, the government had recaptured only $2 billion in improper payments.

• Your taxes wasted on a $120 million parking center

To be clear, the term "improper payment" covers many problems and is not limited to out-and-out fraud. It can include payments made in error, either through the fault of the agency itself or the person claiming the payment. But what the vast majority of the instances of improper payment have in common is that they represent money that shouldn't be paid out at all leaving the Federal Treasury and not coming back.

As part of their annual financial reports, federal agencies are required to estimate the payment error rate of the programs they administer, and for some of the biggest benefits programs, the percentage of payments deemed improper reaches double digits, and tens of billions of dollars.

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What Would I Cut From the National Debt?

The big question of the day is … What would you cut from the national debt? 

My focus is on every single politician.   While I am very well aware of the other wasteful spending … my particular focus is on the politicians themselves.  Leading by example is the only way! 

So to YOU Politicians ... this is what I would cut

#1 Your salary!   ALL you politicians need to be forced to take a substantial pay cut until our debt is paid.   Your  yearly pay should be $24,000 with the bare minimum of benefits.  Sounds a little harsh?  Tell that to the working public who make this and less!

I propose for every single politician -- from the President down to city counsel --  that you do not receive a salary for four years.  After that four years -- your yearly salary should be no more than  $24,000 -- with the minimum of benefits and no business expense whatsoever.  In fact, everything--from travel/lodging to your own housing-- should be paid out of your own pockets until our debt is substantially lowered.


You  members of Congress alone make $500,000 per year.  FOR WHAT?!  Oy!  And you  have the nerve to tell us -- the American People -- to cut back and make do? 

500,000 x 535 politicians = 2617500000 dollars.  That’s an estimated amount of how much it cost the taxpayers to pay members of Congress and the Senate each year.    I mean where in the hell do you put the damn comma in that amount???!    Multiply that by four years and be prepared for your eyes to pop out!

#2 Put an end to your automatic pay increase.  Social Security recipients have not received a pay increase in over four years.  Yet you members of  Congress have an automatic pay increase each and every single year.    Cease and decease already!


#3 Cut your  housing/travel and business expenses.  This goes for  every single politician! No exceptions!

Congress cut subsidy for Section 8 in order to spare the tax payer.  Yet you, dear politicians, YOUR housing and all  YOUR lodging when traveling is paid by the American taxpayer.  Talk about a set of brass balls!

How many people lost their homes?  How many who have the good fortune to be using Section 8 have to cut back other necessities in order to meet the rent each month? 

The average American who has the good fortune to actually own a car has to pay out the ass for their fuel, insurance, etc.  The rest of us have to either walk, ride a bike or take public transportation.   While members of Congress get to ride around in their big gas gusseling vehicles and airplanes … all at the taxpayer’s expense!

If you are lucky  to have a job -- who pays for your expenses when you take a vacation?

And  don’t even get me started on the utilities.  Unlike these politicians, tax dollars don’t pay for my lights, gas and water!


#4 Cease paying former presidents and their bodyguards!  Are you seriously kidding me?  I understand paying a pension -- but seeing how you are willing to cut the Average American's pension and all of their benefits -- who the hell are you to take the best and tell the rest of us to tough it out?  And what the hell is all this Secret Service to guard these former presidents about???!!!   Seriously?  What the hell?!!!   Regular Americans don't have this luxury!  And many live in high crime areas.  Where are their body guards?  hmmmm?  Where is the Secret Service when somebody's grandmother is being mugged or raped ... or murdered?   I mean who are any of you politicians that your life and the lives of your families are deemed more important than the average American?



I’m one of many who are sick and tired of these politicians having the best of everything  while we have to make do.  And I take great exception when all of you in Congress tell Americans that WE  have to make sacrifices and WE have to do without  so that YOU can live in the lap of luxury!  All at the expense of the American taxpayer!

Every one of you politicians need to lead by example.  And you can start by taking the drastic pay cuts and other cuts in your little perks!  Making all the necessary sacrifices in order to lower the debt.


While this may only make a tiny scratch on the overall surface -- it is at least a start in the right direction!