There’s a story in The Washington Post this week about a pair of bureaucrats at the scandal-scarred Veterans Affairs agency who abused their positions of public trust to get plum jobs and perks.
These two executives – Diana Rubens and Kimberly Graves – “inappropriately used their positions of authority for personal and financial benefit when they participated personally and substantially in creating opportunities for their own transfers to positions they were interested in filling,” according to a report by the agency’s watchdog.
Not only did they take these jobs, they also “gamed VA’s moving-expense system for a total of $400,000” via a series of “questionable reimbursements.”
And yes … this is the agency that’s supposed to be taking care of U.S. veterans.
Anyway, according to Chris Edwards of the Cato Institute, the report is further evidence of how many government bureaucrats “serve themselves and not the public.”
“By and large, the federal government is not full of people that help us,” Edwards wrote. “They tax us, regulate us, defend their bureaucracies, and some of them try to actively fleece us. So in structuring the government, a basic assumption should be that it will not be populated by ‘public servants,’ but by people who are in it for themselves. That is one reason why all of us should want to keep the government’s power strictly limited.”
Amen to that …
25 comments
In another country they were called the Apparatchik.
last tuesday I got a top of the range Honda from earning $16020 this last four weeks and also ten-k last-month . this is definitely the coolest work I have ever done . Without any question it’s the most financially rewarding Ive had . I started this 4 months ago & practicaIIy straight away began to bring home over $97 p/h .Visit weblink to start immediately.
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?Last tuesday I got a top of the McLaren F1 from earning $16020 this last four weeks and also 15-k last-month . this is definitely the coolest work I have ever done . Without any question it’s the most financially rewarding Ive had . I started this 4 months ago & practicaIIy straight away began to bring home over $97 p/h .Visit weblink to start immediately.
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The irony here is that some of the biggest ones in it for themselves take checks from the Cato Institute.
ad hominem
Not sure where you’re coming from saying ad hominem. Groups like these fund politicians at all levels of government by the millions. They do this by receiving funds from donors who are donating the money for that purpose, and it is solely to benefit themselves too when the politicians turn around and give them preferential treatment.
The Cato Institute already identified the system in the above article, they just omitted that they actively participate in it.
Everyone deserves compensation for their work. If you choose to be cynical, your observation can apply to the entire human race. I profit from my occupation too and try to patronize my customers. A blanket accusation that all policians use their possition to give preferential treatment to their benefactors has to originate with government itself.
Now if you know of a way to improve it, without government employees, elected officials or organizations like CATO, please make suggestions.
That’s the Democrat Party for you…
When it’s OBAMA…FITSNews always reports WASHINGTON…
That’s Bullshit…Using the IRS to persecute, lying about Benghazi, condoning cop-killing, spying on private citizens, perpetuating hatred toward Christians, Race Baiting…etc…
Washington does not do that, OBAMA does…
GET it starlight you Democrat ass-kissing SOB.
LMAO, your son killed Christians who were republicans. LMAO !!!
And “Conservative” at that, LMAO !!!
Republicans are complicit by their non-action on certain issues. I refuse to vote for a Democrat regardless other than locals who I know and if the march in lockstep to the party I will not vote for them. Saying that, the Republican Leadership in DC are cowards. I realize they are handicapped because of Obama being President but there are ways to make Democrats go on record with their votes. Both parties are guilty of covering for the other when they do not want their votes recorded because of folks back home and regardless of the Party they cater to money for their power!
I agree, but it is just SOME (not most) in the Republican Party responsible for the complicity. Those Liberal-Tarian-Moderates – like Sanford, McConnell and McCain – lied, and are now being found out.
And with Boehner being dumped, hopeful the GOP knows we are watching, and it better redeem itself, and Obliterate these Democrats as we are Demanding of them…
Jeb at 4%…..LMAO
It’s not only the politicians in government that think they are entitled. The higher the GS rating the greater the greed and it’s not just in the VA.
There you go, Lyin’ Joe Wilson. These criminals use the VA for their own personal benefit. Like You Do. Bragging about all the good you do for Veterans, while Vets kill themselves more than ever before for lack of proper care. How do you sleep at night!?!?
You, Lyin’ Joe Wilson, were one of the front line cheerleaders who gave George Bush (and Halliburton) a blank check to transform the U S Armed Forces into his personal Mercenary Force to gofuck up the Middle East. We now know this had Nothing To Do With National Defence. The Saudies gave us 9/11. Bush was a catamite for the Saudi King. Remember the hand holding photo op in the rose garden? Nauseating. The vets then came home to rats and mold and piss poor care at VA hospitals because you would rather not tax the one percent to pay for Vet services. Who do you serve, Ahole.
Didn’t Hillary also vote for the war?
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2010/09/11/iraq-democrats-war
Yes she did!!!!!!!
But, Joe Wilson is actions and performance is abismal and he should be sent home permanently!
Obama’s SS, NSA, IRS, EPA, State Dept., DOJ, and the VA….there is legitimate scandal in ALL of them…and then some…
Obama is BY FAR the MOST CORRUPT administration in the last 60 years, if not more….but the media – whose highest moment was Watergate, is dumb, deaf and blind to these liberal rapists of our federal government…
That said: the people – despite the media’s willing ignorance – know who Obama and the Democrat Party are…and it will be addressed..
The media isn’t dumb, deaf, and blind. They are complicit.
Willingly DD&B…
And my apologies to the actual DD&B…its an insult to be compared to the corrupt media…
If a lack of ethics were a crime, 95% of the media would be on death row.
Republicans have morals…. yeah… morals.
Do away with the VA and give Veterans a health card allowing them to go to any Doctor, or Hospital of their choosing! Take all the money which goes to the VA for facilities, salaries, expenses, maintenance, employee retirement, etc. and use it to pay for the card and medical services for the Veterans.
These heroes are NOT expendable, like throw away paper cups and plates! Once they serve this Country and make the sacrifices they do, they are TOP TIER and should be cared for!
Women seem to be more notorious for stealing money from their employers than men.