Things Democrats Have Funded that Cost More than the Border Wall
Lawmakers have put less thought into other, more expensive projects over the years
Jan 9, 2019 9:39 AM
By Tom Elliott
After President Trump requested $5.7 billion to fund the border wall he campaigned on in 2016, Democrats have dug in, refusing to appropriate the funds that the administration says are needed to better manage the flow of immigration across the southern border.
Democrats are not traditionally known for their fiscal rectitude but are particularly parsimonious over what ultimately amounts to a very small percentage of the federal budget. (In 2018, the feds spent $4.173 trillion overall, meaning the border wall would amount to just 1/10th of 1 percent of current annual federal spending.)
Indeed, these lawmakers have happily funded various projects over the years that cost far more than the border wall — and many of which had very questionable value. Below are some examples of wasteful federal spending projects that individually cost more than the proposed border wall (data courtesy of Citizens Against Government Waste):
— “Rural Utility Service.†This program costs taxpayers $8.2 billion/year and has no actual purpose after its original intent — bringing electricity to rural communities — was long ago achieved. It’s now being used to bring broadband access to small communities (usually with populations of less than 20,000). However there’s no indication the “beneficiaries†of this expensive government agency actually appreciate the program, and the majority of its projects are not completed on time or within budget.
https://news.grabien.com/story-things-democrats-have-funded-cost-more-border-wall?utm_campaign=TPI_Morning_Newsletter_1_10_2019&utm_source=criticalimapct&utm_medium=email&utm_content=4371d3fdbb69c3b8a6473c7b9fa19141&source=CI
