CapitolWatch News

• Waste, Fraud and Abuse in our Government’s Welfare Programs

  May 14, 2012

  The1990’s were full of stories about “Welfare Queens,” but appears that efforts to reform our nation’s welfare programs have not been fully effective. From overpayments, to gaming the system, it appears these programs and the way they are administrated, are ripe for investigation.

  

• New Study Shows Obamacare Adds $340 Billion to Deficit

  April 25, 2012

  Charles Blahous, an economist estimates in a 52-page studyreleased by George Mason University's Mercatus Center that the President’shealthcare overhaul will add at least $340 billion to the deficit and notreduce it as the President has claimed. Blahous, who serves as public trusteeoverseeing Medicare and Social Security finances, also found that current federalaccounting practices have masked the true costs of the massive legislation. Thestudy entitled “The Fiscal Consequences of the Affordable Care Act,” wasreleased early this April.

  

• GSA Spends Nearly $1 Million in Taxpayer Dollars on Extravagant “Convention”

  April 24, 2012

  Recently, it was revealed through an Inspector General’s report thatemployees of the General Services Administration (GSA) spent $822,000 on alavish “convention” in Las Vegas. The agency handles federal government logistics andoperations, including guidelines for the entire federal government onprocurement. Details of excessive spending in the planning and conducting ofthe conference brought the resignation of GSA Administrator MarthaJohnson and several other officials. The event held in the fall of 2012 was attended byabout 300 employees and lasted four days.

  

• We’re #1...for the Highest Corporate Tax Ratein the World

  April 04, 2012

  Its no “April Fools,” on April 1st the United States officially became home to the highest corporate tax rate in the world. This comes as Japan officially cut its corporate tax rate to 36.8 percent, leaving ours in the lead at 39.2 percent. Countries with more restrictive economies like Russia and China have rates of 20 percent and 25 percent, respectively; essentially leaving our businesses at a competitive disadvantage.