[El Gato]

Choosing not to sell to a government agency (or any or all of them) is in no wise either illegal or unpatriotic. Its called FREEDOM,

While it is an expression of Freedom, and they are able to not deal with the government, I would say that under the conditions indicated, it is unpatriotic. They can't be complaining about government paperwork, there is none for cash purchases. I don't know what their reason for not dealing with the government, especially the military, is, but absent a better explanation than that given in the article, I would call it unpatriotic. If that supply sergent had to go farther or spend more of your money to satisfy his unit's needs, then that's just that much less they can do to accomplish their mission, under fixed limits of money and personnel.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I kind of wonder if Home Depot just issued a blanket statement because they didn't really know how the system works. If a guy who works for the government shows up with an IMPAC credit card to buy some stuff for the local military base, you just scan the card, have the guy sign the reciept, and he's on his way with the stuff. As for cash purchases, I don't think the govt. even does that anymore. They make everybody use direct deposit and material is only purchased with purchase orders or credit cards because they have minimized cutting checks and disbursing cash, at least as much as possible.

The real paperwork and audit hassle comes when you want to be a GSA-approved contractor so that you can sell them large volumes and/or high-dollar stuff. I'm guessing that the big boys at Home Depot didn't know this and just issued a blanket policy, or maybe the govt. did something to really piss them off. Who knows?

[Dave S]

I would call it unpatriotic. If that supply sergent had to go farther or spend more of your money to satisfy his unit's needs, then that's just that much less they can do to accomplish their mission, under fixed limits of money and personnel.

Not if accepting even cash payments from the feds means you have to comply with and report compliance with all their silly rules.

[Wonder Warthog]

"While it is an expression of Freedom, and they are able to not deal with the government, I would say that under the conditions indicated, it is unpatriotic. They can't be complaining about government paperwork, there is none for cash purchases. I don't know what their reason for not dealing with the government, especially the military, is, but absent a better explanation than that given in the article, I would call it unpatriotic. If that supply sergent had to go farther or spend more of your money to satisfy his unit's needs, then that's just that much less they can do to accomplish their mission, under fixed limits of money and personnel."

Supplying the units needs is what we pay the GSS and other FedGov purchasing departments BIG BUCKS to take care of. As to patriotic, when the Congress actually passes a declaration of war, then I'll buy it.