By ,
Published May 10, 2017
And now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine…
Billions Wasted
The pile of cash shelled out -- improperly -- is staggering.
The Government Accountability Office -- reports waste for 2014 was $125 billion. That’s a $20 billion jump from the year before.
Nearly three quarters of the errors were from Medicaid -- Medicare -- and Earned Income Tax Credit payments.
Government waste is not new news -- especially in the Grapevine.
But it adds up.
This is GAO's graphic of improper payments since 2003 -- when it was $35 billion.
In 2009 -- the total topped $100 billion.
Add it all up since 2003 -- the government has wasted nearly a trillion dollars of your money.
Working the System
Moving from waste -- to fraud.
A Massachusetts woman is pleading guilty to a $3.5 million food stamp rip-off.
From 2010- to 2014 -- convenience store owner Vida Causey -- bought SNAP benefits from customers at half price in cash -- then charged the government for the full amount.
SNAP benefits are only supposed to be exchanged for food.
Besides the charge for fraud -- Causey also faces counts of conspiracy and money laundering.
Underdog Story
Finally -- an upset for the ages.
Three Harvard undergraduates were beaten in a debate -- by three violent criminals from Eastern New York Correctional Facility.
The inmates are part of the Bard Prison Initiative -- which offers prisoners an opportunity to earn a College degree while serving their sentences.
The Wall Street Journal reports-- The Harvard debaters accepted their defeat gracefully-- saying they were impressed by their opponents' preparation-- and unexpected line of argument.
https://www.foxnews.com/transcript/grapevine-govt-wasted-125-billion-in-improper-payments