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Evaluating how government is spending taxpayer money

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    Sen. Coburn on wasteful expenses

  • Duration 5:03
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We want it -- -- without destroying defense we'll talk to Tom called the Republican senator Thompson stadium -- in spending cuts that just might save jobs for example.

Did you know that -- spent five million dollars figure out what lessons this can teach about democracy and -- decision making this.

Have no idea.

Or that the Pentagon team -- the US TA.

To -- -- video cold -- let's say that features drill sergeant showing off their recipes.

It's the kind of stuff gets Republican senator Tom Coburn all fired up he's here now with how we.

People were spending down senator good to have you on you know with just a mild overview that you were doing here you you you came -- a lot of stuff.

And this is -- outside the duplicates in the -- as -- -- we're gonna get -- that in the second.

Glad all of this dwarfs whatever we're advancing about coming on Friday.

Well it you know.

Now I have the district fundamental disagreement with the president on the amount of -- and that's in the federal government and the mental place.

Government agencies aren't necessarily most efficient organizations in the world but we -- it's certainly easy to highlight stupidity in terms of how they spend some of the money.

You can eliminate all the stupidity and wouldn't solve our problems with this with this sequester.

But it it does beg the question is who's run and these organizations that are continue to allow money to be wasted the way it is.

And so we ought to be asking the hard questions.

Now when you went through a lot of -- duplication and and you know even as I'm looking now.

For the Pentagon to develop some roll -- -- -- -- -- -- Maybe if -- like beef jerky that's -- fine idea but let out.

Why wasn't this part of a back up.

Spending cut plan in lieu of the sequestration cuts because I think most people most rational people would either party of both parties.

Could agree this is easier stuff to go after than the stuff there's supposedly going after now that you would think all but cripples you -- I think it's all about leadership and the priorities in agencies.

You know the the president can offer lots of things -- the congress -- -- he'd like to change will deal with it and offer legislation today that would.

You know this thing going off breaking months of presence known that we were under sequester.

The whole idea was not to ever get here.

But the fact is is we are here and we need to make these cuts and how we make him is important in terms of the amount of pain that people are gonna feel.

And what we ought to do is give the administration is as much flexibility as we can.

For them to make these cuts but remember the government's -- twice the size it was eleven years ago.

And it's this is two and a quarter percent of the total government but it's really -- seven.

Percent or so in the discretionary may be 11% in the Pentagon.

Over the next ten years but even with these cats.

That will still be spending more money and -- in the next year then we're suspended today and so the question ought to be the American people ought to be asked him and his.

Are we getting value for the money that we're spending an answer to that is half the time no.

And number two is are we spend and our money the first dollar on the thing that's most -- first important for the country.

And they after that often times is now.

You know what you boys waited out and you've been like a dog with a bone on this over the years the senators that.

You know this idea that -- -- fraud abuse duplicates in his system changes is wrong.

That is how it is strong start going after some of these more substance and cuts and all of the reality is that there's a lot.

That.

In this duplication in this silliness when you headed out.

You're doing a lot of cutting.

Yeah well that the DL just through the first two reports that they come out they've you know over three years now we're gonna have a -- review the federal government funded vacation.

Out of the first two reports -- first two years we have 380.

Some billion dollars in the programs that have duplication within.

And there's.

In my mind now live -- think the president would disagree with me.

In my mind to get rid of fifty billion dollars right there a year you know you know we have 57 job training programs all but three of them do the same thing that the others -- There's no metrics on it.

The president when he speaks about that thinks we should clean that up -- we should spend the same amount of money I think we should clean it up its been half as much money.

So I think I think there's things we can do then that's nine billion dollars you know that's not a billion over ten years you find twenty more of those you got.

He's got some serious and it's easy you know senate cannot what's your coming up but -- is that the Republican.

That you had no sacred cows you look -- defense -- an overlap there and to your credit saying all of us there again.

Very good at these senators you've got to be with you nailed it right here senator -- -- -- more.