Rand Paul recently released his 2022 "Festivus Report" highlighting some of the government's most wasteful and reckless spending. Per usual, the results might be shocking, but not surprising.
In his report, Paul explains that “No matter how much money’s already been wasted, politicians keep demanding even more.” While the U.S. government's list of reckless spending is practically endless, considering the national debt is upwards of $31 trillion, today we’ll focus on the top three most ridiculous and costly endeavors that have been featured in this new report.
1. The first and likely most absurd mention goes to the $119,000 that was dedicated to “research” on whether the fictional character from the Avengers franchise, Thanos, could functionally snap his fingers while wearing the infinity gauntlet. Sen. Paul tells us that this research concluded with the answer, “Wearing metal gloves while attempting to snap does not generate enough friction between one’s finger to successfully create a snap.”
2. You might be shocked to hear that intoxicated mice were quite an important research object used by the government. A project costing $1.1 million was dedicated to training mice to drink alcohol and become intoxicated in order for scientists to "treat alcohol use disorders in humans.”
“So you’re saying mice and humans get drunk the same way?” Paul questioned.
Another $519,828 was spent also using mice, this time probably not intoxicated, to research in some undeclared way, racial aggression. Paul goes on to say, “Perhaps UI-Chicago and the NIH conveniently forgot that mice have no concept of race altogether.”
3. Our politicians dedicated $187,000 to research if children really do love their household pets. Paul notes, “Why did the government need to spend $187,000 for this study, when one trip to the humane society or local dog park could have sufficed?”.
While these are just a few of the most absurd and costly pet projects conducted by our government officials, dozens more decisions like these totaled up to $482,276,543,907 in Paul's annual report.
These decisions were made while our country sits in enormous debt, and it is our job as taxpayers and citizens to hold these officials accountable for their impetuous choices.
Sign the Convention of States petition below to help us end outrageous government spending.
