Take aim at wasteful government spending

The constant bickering between our two parties regarding austerity and increasing taxes is unproductive and basically partisan. Not once have I heard anyone from either party talk about stopping wasteful government spending. The list is endless -- every day there are stories of waste at the federal, state and local levels: bridges to nowhere, billions for jet fighters that are useless in the war on terror and unsafe for our pilots, hundreds of unneeded czars and bureaucrats, unnecessary junkets and parties on the taxpayers’ dole, welfare benefits given to the unqualified, I could go on forever.

I know of a 72-year-old man who is receiving unemployment compensation. His wife works, they have two beautiful homes, three cars including a Corvette and a Mercedes, yet he is legally entitled to these benefits. Is this right? Shouldn’t our politicians be investigating these issues? The costs are staggering. Does our government believe that we should spend just for the sake of spending?

I believe governments want to raise taxes on working Americans to cover all this waste. Let’s stop spending just for the sake of spending and focus on spending only on what is really needed.

Robert W. Kuechenberg

Palatine