Progressive Ideology Wasteful by Design : Redistribution of Wealth

Mismanagement and lack of will causing taxpayer billions and our government couldn't care less. Why is that? What is it that causes our government to be so dysfunctional? Is being dysfunctional a way to keep the population confused while the progressive socialists move to change the way we live with crushing regulations and executive fiat? 

And Mr Obama says that he can't find 85 billion in reductions to the deficit without laying off teachers and closing zoos? Who voted this this guy? Hey, who voted for him a second time?

Mismanaged Federal Properties Cost Taxpayers Billions 
March 4, 2013
Source: Michal Conger, "Failures in Managing Federal Property Costing Taxpayers Billions," Washington Examiner, February 27, 2013.

According a new House Subcommittee on Government Operations report, mismanagement of federal property is costing taxpayers billions of dollars per year. At a time when the national debt is approaching $17 trillion, American's have a right to know how their money is being spent, says Michal Conger in the Washington Examiner.

• Inefficiency, inaccuracy and underuse are estimated to cost taxpayers at least $1.6 billion each year.
• The issue has been listed high on the Government Accountability Office's (GAO) high-risk series for 10 years.
• Agencies often inaccurately report the condition, value or maintenance costs of their buildings, which creates a wide gap between official estimations and actual costs.

In other cases, dilapidated buildings are reported as being in excellent condition. The variability in reporting does not follow sound data collection practices, according to the Federal Real Property Council.

• These inaccuracies result in excessive reliance on leasing when there are underused federal buildings in the same area.
• The government owns or leases roughly 400,000 buildings and the inaccurate reporting creates overlap that costs agencies millions of dollars.
• Agencies also ignore old buildings because of high maintenance or disposal costs, which ultimately costs taxpayers more money in the long run.

One example is the Department of Agriculture's Agriculture Research Service property in Maryland, which sits on a 7,000-acre property and houses more than 500 buildings. More than 200 of those buildings are vacant, yet there is no plan for them other than to sit vacant.

Across the country, more than 75,000 buildings sit vacant or underutilized. While the GAO oversees the Federal Real Property Council and dictates their reporting standards, it has no authority to enforce any standards on other agencies. 

The problem is exacerbated by Congress, which continues to pursue piecemeal answers to the problem instead of comprehensive solutions.