Defense Department Rots While Social Security Administration Gets Spoiled

By James Smith

29 July 2013

Two Snowhill – interior – comfy chairs (Photo credit: ell brown)

Since the beginning of the execution of sequestration, a policy first suggested by President Obama, the US Department of Defense (DOD) has suffered greatly at the hands of the ongoing fiscal amputation. From the elimination of hot meals to the killing off of US Navy SEALS, the administration has stabbed the fighting American soldier in the back too many times to count.

In a May hearing before the US Senate,   Defense Department Comptroller Robert F. Hale said the budget cuts imposed by sequestration eviscerating the U.S. armed forces.

Even the families of servicemen still at home are affected. According to John Conger, acting deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and environment, stated:

“In FY ’13 we are deferring all but the most critical repairs. We’re deferring routine maintenance. We’re holding off on major purchases and accepting risk by looking for building equipment to hold out longer,” the deputy undersecretary added.

Frankly, he said, “we can accommodate this for a short period of time but facilities will break if we short-change these accounts for multiple years. Building systems will begin to fail. The cost to repair broken systems is much higher than that to maintain them, just like changing the oil in your car” prevents expensive auto repairs or system failures.

Keep in mind, he added, “that this ‘car’ is actually a real-property portfolio of more than 500,000 facilities and a plant-replacement value of more than $800 billion. If we don’t invest in keeping it up, it will deteriorate and we will end up with a steady increase in failing or unusable facilities.”

But sequestration was to be the “across the board” cuts in funding to government agencies.

The Department of Homeland Security requested Bagpipe and Drum sets for some unknown reason, and once again, the Social Security Administration steals from the tax payer yet again. Still violating the Fraud, Waste, and Abuse laws at the Wilkes-Barre Data Operation Center, but now the Head Quarters locate in Baltimore Maryland require new furniture. Birmingham, Alabama wants a Fitness Center Management, that requires the well-paid federal employee to pay less that $30/month for a membership, and the Wabash Fitness Centerwants a Complete Commercial Grade Group Exercise Aerobics System and a Complete Commercial Grade Fitness Center Audio Systems, but the link to FedConnect has been deleted and the reference there removed.

Official seal of the United States Department of Defense. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The headquarters, known by all SSA employees simply as “Baltimore” request for new furniture is simply atrocious. Replacement chairs that cost more than an employee’s paycheck, and conference tables that are replacing tables that should be lasting for decades are eating the up the public money to the tune of over $547,000. Below is the breakdown and links to similar products.

They eat well while our soldiers and sailors are eating cold food. The SSA is doing what every single agency does, and that is spend all remaining funds before the end of the fiscal year so that they can request even MORE money to waste.

If you have the time, send an email or letter to your local congressman and ask them to look into this waste of government funds. It’s your money and you do get a say on how it is spent.

About James Smith
James is a father of four and grandfather to four cute little bugs. He and his wife Beautiful Gorgeous, of almost 30 years, have been prepping since 2003. 
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