Sesame Street for Pakistan, studying the effect of cocaine on birds' sex lives, and Stonehenge for Pagan Air Force Cadets: Billions of federal dollars 'wasted' as U.S. debt explodes

Billions of federal tax dollars were wasted on apparently frivolous and unnecessary projects in 2011, even as the national debt ballooned to more than £15trillion.
For example, $10million was spent on a remake of Sesame Street for Pakistan featuring a hard-working donkey, called Baily, who longs to be a pop star.
More than £175,000 was spent on a study into the link between cocaine use and risky sexual practices - in Japanese quail.

Doing it for the kids: U.S. taxpayers spent $10million funding a remake of Sesame Street for Pakistan, called SimSim Humara

And, incredibly, a billion dollars was handing home improvement tax credits to people who don't own homes - including prisoners and children.
These are just some of the $6.9billion worth of apparently frivolous, publicly funded projects identified in a report published by Republican Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.
Dubbed the 'Wastebook Report', it identifies 100 taxpayer funded programmes it says the U.S. doesn't need and, worse, can't afford.

In the report's opening statement, Senator Coburn writes: 'Over the past 12 months, Washington politicians argued, debated and lamented about how to reign in the federal government‘s out of control spending.
'All the while, Washington was on a shopping binge, spending money we do not have on things we do not need, like the $6.9 billion worth of examples provided in this report.
'The result: Instead of cutting wasteful spending, nearly $2.5billion was added each day in 2011 to our national debt, which now exceeds $15 trillion.'

Senator Tom Coburn, from Oklahoma, alongside his Wastebook report

Many of the most expensive projects outlined in the report actually benefit those in other countries - or are, at least supposed to.
The U.S. sent $18million in foreign aid to China, a country that has lent the U.S. government $1trillion and is its largest creditor.
Bajan businessmen did well out of the U.S. taxpayer, with USAID spending $1.35million to Barbados's Cave Hill School of Business to promote entrepreneurship.
Local politicians in India - the world's fifth largest economy - benefitted from a $425,642 study into how they can improve their PR.
And Indonesians were able to enjoy the best in U.S. dance, after $30,000 was spent sending a New York-based dance troupe to perform in the country.
The military-industrial complex was also a significant beneficiary.
In Iraq, nearly $4.4billion was frittered away in 2011 alone on wartime contracting waste and fraud, according to a congressional report.
And more than $200million was spent in 2011 (out of a total $3billion spend) building an alternative engine for the F-35 fighter plane which the Pentagon then decided it didn't need.

Religious sensitivity: The Air Force Academy spent more than $50,000 building this Stonehenge-like worship centre for pagan cadets

Artistic: The National Science Foundation spent £300,000 teaching the public about the origins of matter through the medium of modern dance

Politicians looked after themselves well too, of course. The report reveals that $35.38million of taxpayer cash was handed to the two main political parties for their own parties - despite Congress enjoying a dismal 9 per cent approval rating - the lowest ever.
Senator Coburn concludes: 'The year 2011 will be remembered as a period of unrest as outraged Americans of all political stripes — tea party patriots on the right and Occupy Wall Street activists on the left — took to the streets in anger and disgust with the direction of our nation.
'As you look at these examples, regardless of your personal political persuasion, ask yourself: Would you agree with Washington these represent national priorities or would you agree these reflect the wasteful spending habits that threaten to bankrupt the future of the American Dream?'
Click here to see the senator's report in full

AND HERE'S A FEW MORE TAXPAYER FUNDED FOLLIES

• The National Science Foundation spent £300,000 teaching the public about the origins of matter through the medium of modern dance.
• The foundation also spent $130,987 on a study into how dragon robots can help preschoolers develop language skills. It was just the first payment of a four-year $923,00 grant.
• And it also spent nearly $500,000 on a study looking at whether people trust what they read on Twitter.
• The Air Force Academy spent $51,474 on a Stonehenge-like worship centre for students there 'whose religions fall under the broad category of "Earth-based"'.
• 
  Nearly $1million was spent by the federal government creating an online soap opera called Diary Of A Single Mom starring, among others, Billy Dee Williams.
• Nearly $100,000 in federal stimulus funds was spent providing kindergarteners with iPad 2s (pictured right), despite widespread opposition from parents who worried it would undermine teachers.
• Researchers at Columbia university were handed $606,000 for a study into how online dating affects sexual behaviour.
• The Oregon Cheese Guild received $50,000 in taxpayer funding to promote the Oregon cheeseindustry by creating a statewide 'Cheese Trail'.
• Lecturers from Eastern Illinois and Kent State Universities went on an epic pilgrimage to England to trace the steps of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, costing taxpayers $136,555.
• Chinese drinkers have the federal government to thank after it paid $111,000 to fund a delegation of beer experts to give lessons to Chinese breweries. 

 

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