The finer things in life are apparently in the eye of the beholder.
For example, we are quite content with a bag of puffy Cheetos on any given evening. Apparently, that is not enough if you are a General Service Administration conference participant. No, Artisan cheeses at $19 per head are the cheez de la fufu if you are on the taxpayer dime at a "training exercise" in Las Vegas.
The GSA scandal that is unfolding is outrageous on many levels, but the most basic is this:
With all the clamor the last two years over deficits and out-of-control spending by the federal government, GSA's over-the-top-conferences reinforce the perception that government employees don't care about the taxpayer's dollar.
When regional administrators are exchanging emails with their spouses where they say "we are going to pawty" when discussing elaborate trips across the Pacific, what is Joe Taxpayer supposed to think except, "These people think that I am an idiot."
Indeed, Joe, they have played you for an idiot.
The GSA is supposed to oversee and make recommendations for government procurement. For one, they are supposed to be experts in real estate. Now that their elaborate parties at so-called "training exercises" have been revealed, all of their official transactions are being called into question.
In short, the GSA must prove that an agency that is profligate with taxpayer funds is not open to bribery, extortion and other forms of corruption.
Since what happened in Vegas didn't stay in Vegas, how much more waste and corruption is about to be revealed in GSA? Somehow we think this is only the tip of the iceberg.
* Editorials reflect the opinion of the publisher.
