Today the Washington Times highlighted shortcomings of the federal government “intelligence” (i.e., spy) agency, the National Security Agency (NSA). The article discusses the cover-up of a multi-billion dollar failure of a data-storage system called the “Trailblazer”. This program was not only a multi-billion dollar project to begin with, it was also admitted to be far over budget. The demonstration of the system alone cost $280 million. Former NSA official Thomas Drake explains the agency to be “unauditable” due to the disarray of its records. The article reads:

“The government “fought very hard” to keep any reference to the inspector general’s report, or his other whistleblowing activities, for instance to Congress, out of the court case.”

It is cases like this that are needed to remind us that government waste is happening everyday and is widespread, and in direct contrast, waste is unacceptable in the private sector where business firms are directly held accountable for mismanagement and malfeasance. The government should be no different, especially since it is the citizenry’s money they are running on. It is up to us to let them know that we are paying attention.

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