Anti-Waste Group Accused Of Massive Wasteful Ad Campaign

One of Washington's most forceful critics of government waste is being accused of, well, waste.

Former Congressman and experimental presidential candidate Bob Barr (I-Georgia) is out with a new column on Tuesday making the case that a new ad campaign being launched by the non-profit Citizens Against Government Waste is a frivolous (if not boneheaded) use of the group's time and cash. At issue is congressional funding for a second jet engine for a hotly-contested stealth fighter plane. As Barr writes:

"For an organization whose official statement of accomplishments as a non-profit is to "educate the public about waste and inefficiency in the government," Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) is spending a lot of money fighting against the Congress funding a competing engine design for a major Defense Department program. In fact, CAGW is engaged in about as high-profile and expensive an ad campaign to kill a second jet engine for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) stealth fighter plane, as any defense spending battle in recent years."

"During a recent visit to Washington, DC, I saw firsthand the results of this expensive ad campaign. The Washington Metro subway system is festooned with anti-second-engine posters; and there are the billboards. None of this comes cheap, including for a non-profit whose entire "program services" budget in 2007 (the most recent year for which IRS Form 990s are available for CAGW) was just over $3.0 million."

Barr goes on to make the point that CAGW's stance is not only wasteful it might be bad policy. "[T]he benefits of a competing engine for this multi-role, multi-national fighter were recognized as early as 1997, when DOD requested money to begin a "competitive engine program" for the fighter," he writes. "The two engines would be "interchangeable."

But Barr also hints at the possibility of serious conflicts of interests, wondering, without placing a call to ask, whether CAGW is being funded by Pratt and Whitney, a leading manufacturer of aircraft engines who would stand to be hurt by additional engine competition.

A spokesman for CAGW did not immediately return a request for comment. But rare is the day that the watchdog of waste is accused of budgetary malfeasance.

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Comments

[lovethisland]

Barr is right on. CAGW has been way out of line on the alternate engine since day one with non-factual data, one sided view points and totally out in left field as to what competition brings to this multi billion dollar program. CAGW should be disolved and anyone or any organization who funds them is not only waisting their time but their money as well. CAGW's credibility has been drastically reduced by many in this country based on the information I'm receiving.

[IlooklikeGeorgeWyner]

Cripes, is it Halloween already?

[gurukalehuru]

It's Bob Barr. I do not feel required to take his opinions seriously.

[madisonhack]

I used to be in that group that didn't give him any merit at all. But he showed real independent thought on the Patriot Act and illegal wiretapping outside of FISA. When Russ Feingold and Bob Barr agree on something, I take notice.

[sueno]

Hear! hear!

[LeeCalif]

And what about Bob Barr.

Does he have other motives ?

[jsgaetano]

He's a conservative, so he obviously hates America.

[themuse]

Why does it matter? A good point is a good point.

[rf dude]

More like " ... experimental human Bob " Kick-yo-Butt " Barr (I-GA)..."

[imsosure]

The real smart people at their best, again. Let's check in with Fox news for the real story.

[TJCole]

File this with the Department of Redundancy Department­...!

[weatherwaxx]

WIKIPEDIA:

Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) is 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the United States. It functions as a think-tank, 'government watchdog', and advocacy group for fiscally conservative causes. The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) is the lobbying arm of CAGW, organized as a section 501(c)(4) organization, and therefore permitted to engage in direct lobbying activities. CAGW has been criticized for its links to the tobacco industry and to lobbyists including Jack Abramoff. According to their web site, "CAGW is a private, non-partisan, non-profit organization representing more than one million members and supporters nationwide. CAGW's mission is to eliminate waste, mismanagement, and inefficiency in the federal government­."


So... Barr's criticizing something tied to Jack Abramoff?

Fine. Go at it. Beat each other to a pulp... no loss either way.

[madisonhack]

Check out Barr's affiliations surrounding the Patriot Act and FISA. He's an interesting mix. I might go so far as to say that he is just a conservative and not especially partisan - at least in terms of the Constitution.

[jsgaetano]

"fiscally conservati­ve"... so in other words, epic levels of waste are perfectly normal for them.

[brady61995]

bob the bloggers have put out your fire, you need to leave the island.

[HisPetGoat]

Bob Barr is a waste of protoplasm.

[weatherwaxx]

CAGW isn't an anti-waste group. It's a right-wingy-thingy masquerading as an anti-waste group.

[imsosure]

That's not what Rush says.

[PublicAdvocate]

The problem with the Libertarian Party is that its quaint ideology is based on a 18th c. understanding of the world and economics, is yet to come to terms with modernity but still clings to the assumption that "everything will be OK if you just let everyone do what they want and nothing is regulated". I used to think the world was that way.....wh­en I was 5 years old.

Here are some highlights from the Party of Simple Simon's:
*Let those factories belch out toxic smoke without regulation
*Deregulate Vulture Capitalism to create freedom and opportunity
*Abolish the minimum wage to create a "fair marketplace"
*Allow anyone to drink and drive w/o speed limits, safety belts, or driver's licences (government interference)
*Open up gun rights so even an 11 year old can buy an uzi
*Abolish welfare systems such as Social Security, and Medicare which '"Create poverty".

Wishing for a world in which everyone is good and kind and benign is a nice dream, but regulations and safeguards came into law precisely because the Libertarian view was inadequate and naive.

Libertarians fail to understand there is evil in the world and are even less qualified to manage any modern government.

[DemocraticVoter]

Well said.

[petef59]

It is hip & trendy to align with Libertarians, after getting a degree from a publicly-subsidized university, or a private colleges, along with more subsidized grants/loans.

[Beck rocks]

You obviously don't understand libertarianism. Most of what you say is wrong. And even the statements you get right "abolish the minimum wage" are stated without understanding. You don't understand because you have embraced the collectivist way of looking at the world. The politicans don't care about you...they don't even KNOW you. And the tiresome statement that "libertarians don't believe in regulation" betrays a lack of understanding of the proper purpose of government.

[sonoffestus]

Bob Barr , wasn't he a game show host?

[Denemator]

barker lol

[cuzkate]

These throw back has beens never ever truly go away.

[whiteboyblues]

Bob who?

[Ricardo01]

How much did Barr waste on the Clinton impeachment?

[biglimes]

About 70 to 80 million.

[iplaw]

How a "Libertarian" can justify building a multi-billion dollar stealth fighter to kill an enemy using only 19th century technology is beyond my imagination.

[Denemator]

Just because we are fighting al quada, and the taliban at present, doesn't mean we wont be needing 21st century weaponry for another conflict that can be just around the corner, don't get me wrong, I am against war and what the previous admin has done is criminal, however there are definitely others than the taliban and obl out there that mean us harm. Second back up engine programs as is common in the commercial aircraft programs are good for competition, monopolies tend to be costly.

What really does need scrutiny is the cost overruns by such programs, that end up costing the tax payer big money.

[Tommygun264]

The military hardware that was and still is being turned out was designed with Russia in mind. We have 174 F22 Raptors - a jet fighter that has never been used in a single military conflict and requires 30 hours of ground maintenance for every 1 hour of flight time - with another 13 on order. Just because we can make something doesn't mean we should.

[PublicAdvocate]

The Libertarian's use of computors, microphones, telephones, modern weapons...­all the fruits of Liberalism, Science and technology is as legitimate as 7th c. Taliban fighters using 21st c. weapons. Both groups of people are living hypocrites who hate modernity.­..yet love all the toys and money.

Libertarians must live by the rules and technology of the 18th c. if they are to be taken seriously. And seriously, the world has moved on since then.