“Our much larger problems have to do with wasteful military spending (they cannot pass a simple audit.”
Because there are actually no accountability records to even audit. Credited funds we pass are disbursed out from the IMF directly to the receiving awardees. Only the IMF has any records of where it actually went. And as a private organization there is no legal way to ever get these records.
The appropriations listed in a funding bill in no way reflects accuracy of where it actually went out from the IMF. It is the perfect situation for “bait and switch” that can never be investigated or proven even if we tried.
The IMF does not disburse US Military Budget items. The IMF would distribute payments to…wait for it..the IMF.
One of the problems I am seeing with this “outrage” about foreign payments in general is that its such a small part of our spending problems. But “conservatives” around here would not tolerate significant changes to the largest expenses in our budgets. Instead, they get “anxious” about very small payments.
It is a lot of “high valence” “red meat” word BS that is excercised by both sides of the aisle. It takes away the attention on the things that matter much more.
I did process review for large service companies. I would go into an operation and see this all of the time. Root causes were not being examined. Internal Politics drove operational issues. Local management would focus on things that cost a penny and ignore the dollars flying out the doors.
How the IMF distributes aid to poor countries is not a big financial deal. How we collect and spend Social Security dollars IS a big deal. How we spend defense dollars without accountability is a BIG deal. Medicare is a BIG deal.
Based on my experience, finding 10% cost savings in any of those areas is not only likely, with a bit of effort…it could be half again as much.