Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul is a longtime critic of government waste, and he’s out with his latest edition of The Waste Report. An annual practice, the libertarian-leaning senator compiles the most outrageous examples of the federal government spending our tax dollars irresponsibly, and highlights them to illustrate a broader point. We should all thank Paul for his efforts: It’s long past time we call attention to government misspending and waste that’s become the norm in Washington, D.C.
The report found the State Department spent $100,000 subsidizing the Pakistani film industry — not exactly an issue dear to the average American’s heart. The federal government, too, spent nearly $500,000 studying frog mating calls in Panama, and $10 million to subsidize “green growth” in Peru.