Posted on 07/14/2007 10:54:17 AM PDT by OKIEDOC
TULSA, Okla. - An Oklahoma senator known for targeting what he considers to be inappropriate federal spending is now turning his sights on government mascots.
SNIP
Coburn's subcommittee staff has sent out a questionnaire to every federal agency asking them to compile information on mascots. "It is not about going after a particular mascot," the Oklahoma Republican said. "It is about the money." Coburn said he is trying to get a handle on exactly how much the federal government spends each year on mascots and the Web sites that support them.
"On average, it looks like there's (up to) $4 million a year just to maintain (a) Web site, and we have thousands of them," he said. "It is not one or two. There's thousands of them."
Although the senator said he is not targeting any one mascot, Coburn suggested that some might not make the grade.
"Some of them are pretty questionable," he said, questioning why the government should be spending $4 million a year on a mascot when that money could be used to fund insurance for 150 children.
Coburn estimated the government may spend as much as half a billion dollars a year to maintain mascots and their Web sites, adding the costs to develop them may be seven or eight times higher. At least some of that money goes to private contractors.
"Maybe the federal government ought to develop Web sites rather than have...$400 million spent," the senator said.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsok.com ...
"Maybe the federal government ought to develop Web sites rather than have...$400 million spent," the senator said.
COMMENT
Very interesting, who knew?
Senator the liberals are going try and fry you in oil if you take away their pet mascots and do away with 400 million in web site spending.
Insuring a child costs $27,000 a year?
Thanks for posting this BREAKING NEWS
What do they mean by ‘mascot’?
He wants to kill Smokey the Bear?
Sure - when the government pays for it (with our money, of course).
If you read the entire story the first few paragraphs by the writer defends several mascots.
So I should have posted that anyone reading this AP story should take the figures with a grain of salt.
Senator Corburn is a medical doctor but you are right the number 150 should be closer to three or four thousand.
Coburn wants to go after the private contractors who are over charging the government for thousands of mascot websites.
The story if had been written by a unbiased news source it would have explained Coburns concerns in the opening paragraph.
As written this is a hit piece guaranteed to make Republicans look like fuddle duds.
Just for Coburn wanting to find out about half a billion dollars in wasted private contractor web site charges to you the tax payer.
“Senator the liberals are going try and fry you in oil if you take away their pet mascots and do away with 400 million in web site spending.”
Not a chance, they’d want to fry him in biomass.
Woodsy Owl: put on your orange jump suit and clean up a highway.
Crying Indian: wipe your tears away and start dealing blackjack.
Mr. Zip - everyone uses a zip code, you can retire.
I bet if this goes through that in five years we'll have a Senator complaining that too much money is spent by government agencies doing work internallly when it can be more efficient to contract out the websites to private industry.
Memo to S. Bear:
“Only God can prevent forest fires”
...the rest of us have problem operating the ‘lightning machine’
That popped out at me too.
I’m also trying to figure out what is meant by “mascot”. Do they mean these government agencies have websites supporting the image of their own equivalent of the Syracuse Orange?
LOL
Only when the government does it.
This is Tom Coburn's most excellent book about the disgusting and shameful financial waste and corruption in the Federal government. It was recommended to me by another FReeper, Cindy-True-Supporter, and I highly recommend it to anyone with a strong stomach.
Save Smokey Bear!!
However, each one of these thousands of gobermint agencies wants their own Logo Mascot and spend four million each a year to support their folly.
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