$900 for a $7 Switch? Our tax dollars at work

I have worked government contracts as a electrician and been told repeataly to slowdown by union workers(i was non union)

Government contracts are Bacon Davis pay outside the contact bid.

My boss never complained to me though as we always made good money on change orders when the equipment did not work right because it was designed wrong by the government engineers.

Our problem was getting the contracts in the first place, we were a non union shop of all veterans and the owner was a disabled veteran business enterprise.
We had a 10 % advantage on all bid we placed and the government union supporters would try every trick to disqualify our bids.
Plus the union OWNED all the electrical supply houses in the area and sold to union companies at cost just so the union workers would get jobs.
Non union companies had to pay street cost for parts for contacts or buy from out of town suppliers.

Isnt it funny how the Tea Party and Conservative right wing screams on and on and on about cutting all the spending on services that directly benefit the hard working America folks whose TAXES PAID for anyways, yet they dont make a PEEP over stuff like this???? Funny, eh??

Then again, WHY would they be concerned over this? They are FUNDED by the WEALTHY to fight their fight and they dont GIVE A DAMN about anything that benefits the PEOPLE for which they PAID FOR IN TAXES ANYWAYS!!! WHAT A JOKE!!!

The wealthy dont need such benefits (SS, medicare, etc) and the Tea Party and Conservatives nicely display their TRUE INTENTIONS and whom they TRULY REPRESENT --- THE WEALTHY FOLKS!!

BUMS!!!

Originally posted by pplrnuts
Isnt it funny how the Tea Party and Conservative right wing screams on and on and on about cutting all the spending on services that directly benefit the hard working America folks whose TAXES PAID for anyways, yet they dont make a PEEP over stuff like this???? Funny, eh??

Then again, WHY would they be concerned over this? They are FUNDED by the WEALTHY to fight their fight and they dont GIVE A DAMN about anything that benefits the PEOPLE for which they PAID FOR IN TAXES ANYWAYS!!! WHAT A JOKE!!!

The wealthy dont need such benefits (SS, medicare, etc) and the Tea Party and Conservatives nicely display their TRUE INTENTIONS and whom they TRULY REPRESENT --- THE WEALTHY FOLKS!!

BUMS!!!

Ummmm what? Wouldn't cutting government spending include cutting wasted spending like this?

Or do you think it only means what you want it to to serve yourself?

THIS is the sort of spending we should be seeking to reign in, instead of threatening to collapse the entire system by not raising the debt limit.

reply to post by incrediblelousminds


I agree. That should be the first thing on the chopping block is all the lame pork barrel spending. I can understand federal funding as incentive, but to give someone $500,000 to start a water taxi business (yes that's in the Pig Book), which is more than likely an 'earmark' for some political support!? It's so surreal.

So from the report it would seem..
7.00 for the switch and 893.00 to dodge the rockets to get it there
Its a dangerous place you know !

The gov.isnt going to swollow 900.00 for a switch..where is the money going ? Black OPs ?

reply to post by granpabobby


That's a good question. I figured they were generating enough income from the CIA run opium fields in Afghanistan to fund the black-ops. Either way, I'm sure them ogres are laughing all the way to the bank.... on the Canary Islands...

600$ toilet seats..

let's not forget them either..

was a big deal a few years ago...

sorry..too lazy to link..'

just google it..

ANHAM -

ANHAM FZCO was formed in 2004 through the convergence of three highly respected, world-wide investment and trade contracting groups with 80 years of successful experience: the Arab Supply and Trading Company ("ASTRA"), a Saudi Arabian conglomerate and contractor; HII-Finance, Corporation, a U.S. based investment group and international trade organization; and The Munir Sukhtian Group of Companies, a Jordanian investment and operating entity.

www.anham.com...

HRMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!! The U.S., Saudi Arabia, and Jordan?

HII-Finance - News

Hii Finance Investment Company, ANHAM FZCO Selected to Perform Multiple Award Task Order Contracts (MATOCs) Throughout the South and Central Asia, Middle East and Northern Africa Regions

Vienna, VA - Hii Finance Corporation (www.hiifinance.com), a US based investment group and international trade organization, is very proud to announce that the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, on behalf of the Transatlantic Division and the Middle East District, has announced today that ANHAM FZCO - ICSS JV has been awarded Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) Multiple Award Task Order Contracts (MATOCs) supporting design-build and construction projects throughout the countries of U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility, which include Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, U.A.E., Uzbekistan, and Yemen.

"We are very pleased to have ANHAM FZCO selected by the USACE to provide high performance construction services and support throughout 20 countries in the Middle East," said Mr. A.H. Farouki, President and CEO of Hii Finance. He added, “We are most confident that we will continue to offer unparalleled quality of service and knowledge to this endeavor."

ANHAM FZCO – ICSS JV are joining their outstanding talents and experiences for this exciting and challenging endeavor which is expected to support multiple types of construction and design-build efforts. Examples of project types include, but are not limited to: design/build Dining Facilities, Equipment/Vehicle Maintenance Facilities, Operations Facilities, Command and Control Facilities, Communication Centers, Training Facilities, Cargo Handling Areas, Road Construction, and Water Treatment Facilities.

"ANHAM-ICSS JV's expertise with planning, implementing, and on time completion of projects continues to set us apart from the competition," said Mr. Farouki. "We are very proud to have been selected and for the opportunity to build upon ANHAM's reputation for delivering the best services at the best value, under some of the most challenging conditions in the world."

The task orders under this award can go up to $3.8 billion in work. The contract period of performance is a base of two calendar years from award and contains up to three one-year option years.

www.hiifinance.com...

LOL
And we just GAVE them $3.8 billion more to kcuf around in all of the oil-soaked countries.

Under the rug.

Anyone remember in the news around 1994/1995, congress spetn $400 on a hammer? and someting like $800-$900 on a toilet seat replacement? jesus! i dont think our governement knows yuo can buy a hammer for $20 or less, and a new toilet seat for $10- $12
it owuld be nice and funny, to think they think theyve been duped, their that stupid..but they arnt. the contractos ive read about being over in IRaq, are their for a reason. to make $$$. how i do not know, jacking up draconian prices. all i can think of, IF it was legite, in this case, was because of some weird tarrif, or long distance shipping??? which i highly doubt. sounds like sever crafty fabricating of sales reciept paperwork going on here. or,t he contractors are all friends of wallstreet in government, including secratoary of treasury, ...they are helping him make cold hard cash*

Originally posted by ANNED
I have worked government contracts as a electrician and been told repeataly to slowdown by union workers(i was non union)

Government contracts are Bacon Davis pay outside the contact bid.

My boss never complained to me though as we always made good money on change orders when the equipment did not work right because it was designed wrong by the government engineers.

Our problem was getting the contracts in the first place, we were a non union shop of all veterans and the owner was a disabled veteran business enterprise.
We had a 10 % advantage on all bid we placed and the government union supporters would try every trick to disqualify our bids.
Plus the union OWNED all the electrical supply houses in the area and sold to union companies at cost just so the union workers would get jobs.
Non union companies had to pay street cost for parts for contacts or buy from out of town suppliers.

How's you're non union health insurance, vacation, sick leave, and other benefits?

If they're good I'm glad but don't count on it for long with the way you're carrying on.

reply to post by OuttaTime


I have been waiting ever sense I joined for a post like this to show up. I didnt want to start it as my husband was still employed in the military housing industry, but knwo he is unemployed so I can tell a few of theri dirty little secrets. 1) they are suppose to buy only American made, but, about half or more of the products are foreign made. 2) The upper management makes side deals with sub contractors, ( you give me $20,000 and you get the bid) 3) they have extravigant vacations all on the jobs bill, ( one year we was flown on private planes to a napa valley winery where we was wined and dined with the best of the breed, ( the elites, i felt out of my element for the first time in my life ) O and the bonuses, wow, ok so an example, A project manager can get anywhere from $20,000 upwards to $50,000 dependingon the job size, the seniour supervisor can make anywhere from $10,000 upwards to $30,000, and it goes downwards of course, for xmas bonuses along with a all expspense paid xmas party at the finest place in the jobs local town or city..all on the job, did I mention the job which is military funded=american tax dollars, o ya, or as with the last job in montana it was part of that bailout deal, and ya theres some bullshtz in that also, but that is another story that can actually get somebody up my butt questioning, the wrong people kinda thing, ya thats enough of that. anyhow we americans do pay alot for them to waist
( we thought about beign whistle blowers, then you get people showign up dead like what happened with mansonato, so we just mumble things here and there )

I worked in montana in the house cleaning part of that job, what i did was, dust walls lighting baseboards cubboards wiped down toilets kitchen and windows then vaccuum and mop, this all took place after the construction was complete, the longest time I spent on one house was maybe 2 hours, know what I made per house? $150. ya I knwo its wrong but I knew it was temporary so I took advantage of it whilst I could. I cleaned 20 houses before husband was laid off. peace

Active Duty military in California our supply guy left and we got a reservist who replaced him. He would order/pick up we needed and when he came back he'd have allll these neat free things companies gave him. After awhile he said one company told him they would give a free cruise ship vacation if he started ordering from them. We all stared at him..."did you take it"......"Hell Yeah.....I'm a reservist...screw the government".

Congress wanted to use Reservists to save money.....we all kept our mouths shut...Congress got what it deserved.


I have personally seen BILLIONS thrown away. If I told you the good ones you would break down and cry.


The Federal Government has been robbed of Hundreds of Trillions over the decades. Now those that did the stealing (Baby Boomers)....are making us all unemployed and homeless to cradle them to the grave with free $$$Social Security$$$.

I say....they shouldn't have let Congress spend the SS Trust Fund....tough # bitches. Retired Military should lose their retirements as well.

You didn't stop the waste.

This is a sticky situation because
if they do not use ALL the available
money they loose it.

They can't put it *in the bank* so to speak
so instead of letting these departments just
keep the money left over they opt to let them
hyper inflate the prices so the department
can get the next round of cash after they run out...

reply to post by hillynilly


Yep. I touched on that earlier. Most of those operations have an annual budget to go by. If they set their budget too low, they screw themselves and run out of money months too early. If they set too high, they have to spend it. It's always in their best interest to overestimate their budget. And even when they do, they always raise their budget forecasts for the next year. So, every year, the overall budget grows exponentially, and they have to figure out how to dump it on the taxpayer shoulders. Well, they just do it, since it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission. That is, if they get caught. I wonder how many of those contractors are relatives to some govt ogre. Yes indeed, the govt is rotten corrupt, but there are also soulless opportunists who would equally screw you so he can make his multiple car payments, and send his equally soulless offspring to Yale (on your dime, of course).
The contractors invoice it, and the govt pays it, so both sides are equally as treasonous.

Originally posted by sonofliberty1776
I have always suspected that those "overcharges" are how the government pays for black projects.

Maybe you could explain this more. Just exactly how does the government utilize money that they already spent buying overpriced crap from private corporations to fund black projects? Sounds like a big leap of faith if you ask me.

In reality, this is a perfect example of how privatization works for the american taxpayer. Just bid the project out to a private contractor, (corporation) and let the screwing begin. This over charging scheme is common practice for corporations that contract out services to the federal government and it's been going on for years. We would be lucky to get a penny on the dollar of real value from anything that is purchased through private contractors by the federal government.

By the way, the same thing is happening in municipalities all across this nation. For some reason, when governmental agencies put projects up for bids in the private sector, it turns into a free-for-all to see which company can screw the taxpaying public the worst and more often than not, bids are designed to fit specific contractors more than others. (i.e. Our city needs new police cars that must have 351 c.i. engines which G.M. & Chrysler don't make, so the bid goes to Ford regardless of the price.)

Another example; In the city where I live, a private contractor has won a bid to replace existing playground equipment in a park with new stuff. The space allotted for the playground measures approx. 200' X 200' and the cost of the project is a staggering 2.3 million dollars, what a joke! I don't know about you, but for that kind of money I could build a playground in that space that would make Walt Disney drool all over himself.

The same thing is true for many of our highway construction contractors who charge the taxpayer huge sums of money to build new highways that are so uneven, you have to wear a slicker suit in order to take a drink of your coffee in the car.

This phenomena is easily explained in two simple words; "Corporate Greed."

Originally posted by OuttaTime
reply to post by hillynilly

 

Yep. I touched on that earlier. Most of those operations have an annual budget to go by. If they set their budget too low, they screw themselves and run out of money months too early. If they set too high, they have to spend it. It's always in their best interest to overestimate their budget. And even when they do, they always raise their budget forecasts for the next year. So, every year, the overall budget grows exponentially, and they have to figure out how to dump it on the taxpayer shoulders. Well, they just do it, since it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission. That is, if they get caught. I wonder how many of those contractors are relatives to some govt ogre. Yes indeed, the govt is rotten corrupt, but there are also soulless opportunists who would equally screw you so he can make his multiple car payments, and send his equally soulless offspring to Yale (on your dime, of course).
The contractors invoice it, and the govt pays it, so both sides are equally as treasonous.

Exactly what i meant...

The system needs A LITTLE adjusting and there would
not be a problem... I don't mind them having the best,
I just can not see 7 dollars turning into 900 even FOR THE BEST...
It is silly to do that, would you do that with YOUR OWN money??

NO ONE WOULD, not even THE RICHEST GUY ON THE BLOCK...

reply to post by hillynilly


In order to fix the problem, you have to fix the mentality. Just like everything else, if there are no morals or ethics, the robberies will continue. People these days are motivated by self survival, while ignoring the other survival dynamics. This in turn forces the perpetuation of the self survival instinct. Once the morals and ethics are removed, it's so much easier to take advantage of others. Whistleblowers now face untelling repercussions, making it a life choice to right that which is wrong. If we continue to 'turn the other cheek' we will be overrun. And the tipping point is fast approaching. Govt and contractor budgets will only continue to get larger and more complicated. It's the nature of the beast, and unfortunately, it is their pattern.
I clicked around a bit at the DebtClock.org site and did a projection of current models approaching 2015. It indicates that our national debt will be just over $22 Trillion. I wonder how much federal fraud, waste, and abuse it will entail....

Originally posted by OuttaTime
reply to post by hillynilly

 

In order to fix the problem, you have to fix the mentality. Just like everything else, if there are no morals or ethics, the robberies will continue. People these days are motivated by self survival, while ignoring the other survival dynamics. This in turn forces the perpetuation of the self survival instinct. Once the morals and ethics are removed, it's so much easier to take advantage of others. Whistleblowers now face untelling repercussions, making it a life choice to right that which is wrong. If we continue to 'turn the other cheek' we will be overrun. And the tipping point is fast approaching. Govt and contractor budgets will only continue to get larger and more complicated. It's the nature of the beast, and unfortunately, it is their pattern.
I clicked around a bit at the DebtClock.org site and did a projection of current models approaching 2015. It indicates that our national debt will be just over $22 Trillion. I wonder how much federal fraud, waste, and abuse it will entail....

If I HAD to guess, I would say 30% of it is waste...
30% of 22 trillion, well you all can do the math...