US Government spending your tax dollars on Expensive Breakfast

• Kingofrunes wrote on 2011-09-24 07:55
  Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/21/us-justice-muffins-idUSTRE78K3OW20110921?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews&rpc=69
  
  

  
  (Reuters) - As the U.S. government grapples to find ways to trim the bloated federal deficit, a new report suggests officials might start with cutting out $16 muffins and $10 cookies.
  
  "We found the Department (of Justice) spent $16 on each of the 250 muffins served at an August 2009 legal conference in Washington," said a DOJ Office of Inspector General report released on Tuesday.
  
  The DOJ spent $121 million on conferences in fiscal 2008 and 2009, which exceeded its own spending limits and appeared to be extravagant and wasteful, according to the report that examined 10 conferences held during that period.
  
  The review turned up the expensive muffins, which came from the Capital Hilton Hotel just blocks from the White House, as well as cookies and brownies that cost almost $10 each.
  
  The department spent $32 per person on snacks of Cracker Jack, popcorn, and candy bars and coffee that cost $8.24 per cup at another conference, the report said.
  
  The DOJ also spent nearly $600,000 for event planning services for five conferences, the document said.
  
  A Justice Department spokeswoman said most of the gathering were held when there were no strict limits on food and beverage costs, adding the DOJ had taken steps since 2009 "to ensure that these problems do not occur again."
  
  Word of the agency's extravagant spending drew a swift response from Capitol Hill.
  
  Senator Chuck Grassley, the senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee which has oversight of the Justice Department, said the report was a blueprint for the first cuts that should be made by the "super committee" searching for at least $1.2 trillion in savings.
  
  "Sixteen dollar muffins and $600,000 for event planning services are what make Americans cynical about government and why they are demanding change," Grassley said in a statement. "People are outraged, and rightly so."
  

  
  
  Ya, while people are struggling, the US government is laughing their way to the bank with $16 muffins and $8 coffee. :chomp2:
• Chiyuri wrote on 2011-09-24 07:57
  Ask them about it
  Gouvernement: What? don't everyone eat this each mornings?
• Osayidan wrote on 2011-09-24 08:15
  I read about this yesterday. Apparently even if you use good quality ingredients and cover the muffin with 24 carat gold leaf foil (edible), it doesn't come up to 16$ each.
  
  So wtf.
• Jelly wrote on 2011-09-24 08:34
  Fricking stupid Americans..
• Cynic wrote on 2011-09-24 08:46
  Welcome to the land of the rich and better off.
• starpaw7 wrote on 2011-09-24 10:20
  This whole concept made me giggle on the inside
  
  Now I'm really curious to try these muffins :oops:
  
  They might be good (or huge) considering the ridiculous cost
  
  
  

  Quote from Osayidan;597336:

  I read about this yesterday. Apparently even if you use good quality ingredients and cover the muffin with 24 carat gold leaf foil (edible), it doesn't come up to 16$ each.
  
  So wtf.

  
  
  Gold was too mainstream so we bought ~$16 muffins instead, but the nearest Starbucks was too far away so we had to settle for ~$8 coffee like some neanderthal.
  
  /first-world problems
• Cucurbita wrote on 2011-09-24 13:34
  We live in a world where there is plenty of wealth, just not distributed properly.
• Phunkie wrote on 2011-09-24 13:43
  It happens everywhere. The rich will dine with expensive foods and restaurants.
  
  President Obama eats organic food, which is more expensive.
• Osayidan wrote on 2011-09-24 13:43
  My friend's theory on this is that since it's in america, their idea of muffins is probably a big cake that can feed a birthday party. Because over here decent cakes cost about that much.
• Yoorah wrote on 2011-09-24 14:23
  I guess I'm the only one who thinks that the reaction to this is pretty silly. Sure, it's wasteful, but not overly so when you look at other high profile conferences for comparison. And as my colleagues would say, they're not really worth going to unless there's free food. 8D
  
  

  Senator Chuck Grassley, the senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee which has oversight of the Justice Department, said the report was a blueprint for the first cuts that should be made by the "super committee" searching for at least $1.2 trillion in savings.

  
  Right. Because there isn't more drastic waste going on elsewhere that they should look at first. <_<
• Athde wrote on 2011-09-24 14:29
  Looks like they'll have to go back to the rookies making Starbucks runs for them from now on :P
• Spartaaaaa wrote on 2011-09-24 16:21

  Quote from Phunkie;597663:

  It happens everywhere. The rich will dine with expensive foods and restaurants.
  
  President Obama eats organic food, which is more expensive.

  
  
  That's all well and good as long as they buy the food out of their own pockets instead of using tax dollars. After all, if that money were back in the hands of the people, then maybe other people could have good meals as well.
• MareneCorp wrote on 2011-09-24 16:24
  Read this in yesterday's Metro papers. I lol'd on the train.