Censorship, drag queens, and pickleball: Here’s how the government wasted $1T this year
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) released his annual Festivus Report on Monday, detailing how the government wasted taxpayer funds over the calendar year.
According to the report, in 2024 the US government squandered $1,008,313,329,626.12 on frivolous projects as American taxpayers grappled with the rising cost of living, driving the national debt past the $36 trillion mark.
Here are some of the most reckless ways the federal government has spent taxpayer funds according to the Festivus Report.
Censorship
The State Department used $330,000 to drive advertisers away from conservative news outlets. The funds were given to the Global Engagement Center (GEC), a State Department censorship office, and to the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a government-backed foundation widely believed to be a CIA front. The GEC and NED poured the taxpayer funds into the Global Disinformation Index (GDI), which rates the “trustworthiness” of news sites. The GDI rated conservative news sites like the Daily Wire, The Federalist, The Blaze, and others as “risky” while labeling NPR, The New York Times, BuzzFeed, and HuffPost as “less risky.” Advertising firms like Microsoft’s Xandr have refused to buy ads on sites downranked by the GDI.
“Historically, the largest purveyor of disinformation is the U.S. government, without question,” the report said. “And now, once again, the government has decided to position itself as the ultimate judge of what’s true and what’s not. The latest chapter in this ongoing saga involves the State Department channeling taxpayer dollars into efforts to silence non-liberal and conservative voices.”
Empty buildings
The federal government spent close to $10 billion on federal office buildings, many of which are not being used and haven’t been for years. This includes $5 billion on rent, $2 billion on maintenance, and more on new furnishings.
“As the average American taxpayers struggle to pay rent, their hard-earned dollars are ironically funneled into more real estate—Uncle Sam's deserted buildings and storage facilities,” the report said.
Drag queens on ice
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) allocated $10,000 to the Bearded Ladies Cabaret, a troupe of drag queens who hope to solve climate change after skating on ice.
“It’s so impossible, the issue of climate change and climate anxiety right now — almost as impossible as drag queens learning how to ice skate,” the Bearded Ladies Cabaret’s founding artistic director said. “So if we can get these drag queens to ice skate, maybe, just maybe, we can solve the climate crisis.”
Las Vegas pickleball
The Department of the Interior allocated $12 million for a new pickleball complex in Las Vegas. The property spans 5.3 acres and will include 30 pickleball courts.
“Apparently, Las Vegas has more pickleball players than Elvis impersonators, and these racket-wielding enthusiasts are running out of places to play,” commented Senator Paul.
Electric vehicles
The Department of Energy spent $15.5 billion to help automakers manufacture more electric vehicles (EVs) despite plummeting consumer demand for electric cars. As more Americans back away from EVs, EV mandates have sent the auto industry into a downward spiral.
“President Biden seems to believe that he can force Americans to abandon their beloved gas vehicles by sheer force of will—or sheer force of spending. But here's the reality check: consumers aren't buying it, literally and figuratively,” read the report.
Ukraine influencers
The State Department spent $4,840,082 on Ukrainian influencers, presumably to help push anti-Russian propaganda.
“At a time when Americans are scraping by, it’s baffling to see our government burning through taxpayer dollars on what amounts to a glorified selfie-fest,” the report said.
Gender-based climate activism
The State Department gave $3 million to a Netherlands-based organization to coach Brazilian girls into becoming climate activists. Called “girl-centered climate action,” the initiative is aimed at “empowering young women to become climate leaders.” The report noted that not only did the Biden administration already establish a Climate Corps, but women already make up most of the influential climate activists.
“But let’s not forget the irony here: while the State Department was busy funding ideological crusades in Brazil, they seem to have forgotten that their primary responsibility is to the American people. You know, the folks who are footing the bill. It’s as if they’re playing a game of ‘How far can we stretch the taxpayers’ patience?’ And unfortunately for us, they’re winning.”
Movies in Jordan
The State Department has spent $873,584 on Jordanian cinema. Projects include a Star Wars premiere in Jordan, film workshops for Jordanians, screenings of high-art movies, $435,575 to “increase the appeal of Jordan’s film industry, and a $298,160 to connect established American women filmmakers from New York to filmmakers in Jordan.
“Who needs to address the rising cost of groceries when the federal government can drop nearly 300 grand to produce niche content in a foreign country that will be viewed by...well, who knows?” the report questioned.
Anti-terror soccer
The State Department doled out $246,699 to the UK’s Football for Peace Foundation to stop terror in Serbia and the Maldives through soccer, referred to as football in Europe. The foundation aims to counter terrorism and violent extremism by “advancing sports diplomacy initiatives.”
“While Football for Peace might be a great organization for private funds and volunteer work, the U.S. government doesn’t have money for their charity, we already struggle to fix our own bridges and roads,” the report commented. “And, no matter how the State Department spins this, football likely won’t stop terrorism.”
DEI birdwatching
The National Science Foundation spent $288,563 to make ornithological societies, also known as bird-watching groups, more “diverse” and “inclusive.” The funds will go towards establishing “affinity groups” — another name for safe spaces — in bird-watching clubs so that their members form groups based on identity rather than the hobby.
“Nearly $300,000 of your tax dollars are being used to sort bird watchers into groups based on who they are or how they identify themselves, rather than what they love— watching birds,” the report said. “It seems that even the peaceful pastime of observing our feathered friends isn’t safe from the DEI craze that has taken over our country.”
Loan interest
According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), American taxpayers will pay $892 billion in interest on the national debt for Fiscal Year 2024 alone. By 2025, the number is expected to hit $1 trillion and then continue rising.
“In total, over the next decade, we’re projected to spend $12.9 trillion just on interest payments, that won’t be going toward tangible priorities,” the report explained. “It won’t be paying down the debt. It’s just interest – the cost of Congress’s inability to live within its means.”
Border security for Paraguay
The State Department spent $2.1 million on protecting Paraguay’s border, even as US border security remains historically weak. Over 12 million illegal immigrants are estimated to have entered the US since Biden took office.
“It’s as if Washington has lost its map and can’t quite remember which border they need to protect,” the Festivus Report said. “Or maybe they just figured, ‘If we can’t fix our border, let’s see if we can manage someone else’s.’ It’s like watching your house catch fire, and instead of calling the firefighters and doing everything to stop the blaze, you decide to head over to your neighbor’s yard to mow their lawn and water their plants. The logic is impeccable!”
Foreign manure
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) spent $20 million on the Fertilize Right initiative, which advances the use of fertilizer in Pakistan, Brazil, Colombia, and Vietnam. The report notes that over 50% of fertilizer in the US goes to waste.
“Instead of addressing this domestic issue, the USDA has decided to send $20 million overseas to teach others how to fertilize properly. The federal government can’t seem to solve the problem at home, yet they’re eager to advise others on how to fix it.”
Iraqi Sesame Street
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is spending $20 million on an Iraqi version of Sesame Street. “Ahlan Simsim” will teach Iraqi children about “inclusion” and “mutual respect.”
“This project shows the U.S.'s shallow attempts to fix problems it created in the Middle East at the expense of U.S. taxpayers,” says the report. “Iraq can recover only with real economic and social reforms. Puppet-driven ‘inclusion’ campaigns won't work.”
Both parties are to blame
Sen. Paul blamed both Republicans and Democrats for the gratuitous spending.
“Who’s to blame for our crushing national debt? Everybody,” he wrote in the Festivus Report. “This year, members of both political parties in Congress voted for massive spending bills, filled with subsidies for underperforming industries, continued military aid to Ukraine, and controversial climate initiatives. As Congress spends to reward its favored pet projects, the American taxpayers are forced to pay through high prices and crippling interest rates.”
