MCHS – Substance for temperamental rodents and an environmentally themed ice performance lead the headlines Rand Paul releases his yearly compilation of shocking government expenditures
The US government squandered over $1 trillion on bizarre and unnecessary projects in the last year, including spending taxpayer dollars to transform rats into drug addicts, as highlighted in Sen. Rand Paul’s yearly “Festivus Report.”
The investigation led by the Kentucky Republican, inspired by the day before Christmas Eve celebrated in the iconic “Seinfeld,” has uncovered some truly strange “pet projects” that received approval from “members of both political parties” in 2024.
The recent expenditure by the Department of Health and Human Services has raised eyebrows, with a staggering $419,470 allocated for research aimed at understanding whether lonely rats have a greater inclination towards cocaine compared to their happier counterparts.
Paul’s report fails to indicate whether scientists managed to identify which rats opted for the blow.
It is concerning that over the last two years, Cornell University has received more than $2 million in government grants to conduct experiments involving the infection of cats with COVID-19, ultimately leading to their euthanasia once the research on transmission is completed.
A controversial allocation of public funds has emerged from the National Endowment for the Arts, which provided a $10,000 grant to ice-skating drag queens.
A self-identified “queer cabaret arts organization,” The Bearded Ladies Cabaret has secured funding to support its climate change-themed ice-skating performances.
A performance titled “Beards on Ice” showcases a unique blend of “polar bears, drag queens, and a character known as ‘Nonbinary Parental Guardian Nature’,” aiming to raise climate awareness among its audience, as stated in the report.
The report indicated that the State Department allocated a substantial $3 million for initiatives focused on empowering girls in relation to climate action in Brazil.
In a section labeled “Ghost Towns on the Government’s Dime,” Rand expressed outrage over the fact that “the federal government allocated $10 billion for the upkeep, leasing, and furnishing of nearly vacant buildings.”
He also mentioned that the DHHS allocated a $5 million grant to research children’s interactions with Facebook advertisements related to food.
Paul criticized the NEA for allocating $385,000 in federal funds since 2015 for art installations at New York’s High Line park, which includes a $40,000 investment in a 16-foot-tall pigeon sculpture that is set to enhance the well-known Manhattan walking area.
Paul committed to collaborating with Congress and the new Trump administration to eliminate this excess in the upcoming year.
