I
don’t
take
hypocrites
lightly.
When
I
worked
at
a
law
firm,
I
was
always
annoyed,
for
example,
when
the
firm
had
no
money
for
business
development
for
the
plebian
partners
but
somehow
always
found
money
for
exotic
locales,
five-star
hotels,
and
$100-a-bottle
wines
when
the
Management
Committee
was
meeting.
The
same
thing
happens
at
corporations,
of
course. You
hear
that
every
department
must
urgently
cut
5%
of
its
workforce! But
the
300-strong
group
of
corporate
muckety-mucks
can
fly
off
to
Europe
(or
wherever)
for
three
days
to
enjoy
fine
meals
and
a
chance
to
hobnob
at
cocktail
receptions.
Pass
the
frigging
shrimp.
I’m
now
watching
the
federal
government
do
the
same
damned
thing.
The
federal
government
is
apparently
broke. It
was
absolutely
critical
that
Elon
Musk
and
crew
essentially
eliminate
foreign
aid,
condemning
tens
of
thousands
of
people
to
illness
or
death. Domestically,
we
must
cut
Medicaid,
eliminating
health
insurance
for
millions
of
Americans. And
Congress
is
playing
games
to
convince
people
that
holding
taxes
low
will
somehow
reduce
the
budget
deficit.
At
the
same
time,
the
U.S.
Army
estimates
that
we’re
spending
a
minimum
of $25
million
to
$45
million for
a
military
parade
to
honor
either
the
Army
or
our
president’s
79th
birthday,
depending
on
whom
you
believe. I
say
“a
minimum”
because
the
multimillion-dollar
estimate
covers
only
the 6,700
soldiers,
28
Abrams
tanks,
28
Bradley
Fighting
Vehicles,
28
Stryker
vehicles,
four
Paladin
self-propelled
howitzers,
eight
marching
bands,
24
horses,
and
two
mules
participating
in
the
parade. Once other
costs are
factored
in,
the
expenses
are
likely
to
be
much
higher.
Our
last
military
parade
was
to
celebrate
our
victory
in
Iraq
in
1991. I
personally
—
and
every
other
American,
save
one
—
could
do
without
a
parade
in
a
time
when
government
is
so
strapped
for
cash. Let’s
see
if
some
outfit
—
let’s
call
it
“DOGE”
—
can
find
$25
million
to
$45
million
(plus)
to
save
in
a
heartbeat,
without
sacrificing
lives
overseas
or
medical
insurance
at
home.
Same
deal
with
sending
the
Marines
to
Los
Angeles. Whether
or
not
you
believe
the
governor
and
mayor,
who
are
elected
officials
and
thus
perhaps
not
trustworthy,
the
local
police
chief
says
that
there’s
no
need
to
call
in
the
Marines
to
control
the
demonstrations
in
Los
Angeles. If
there
were
a
need
for
police
help,
you’d
think
you’d
get
an
honest
opinion
there. So
there’s
no
need
for
military
help,
and
sending
in
the
Marines
for
an
estimated
60
days
will
cost $134
million.
Where’s
Musk
when
you
need
him? The
average
fully
loaded
cost
of
hiring
one
federal
government
employee
is
just
under $157,000 per
year. (This
includes
salary
of
just
over
$100,000
plus
insurance
and
other
benefits.)
Divide
$134
million
by
$157,000,
and
you
could
hire
853
federal
government
employees
for
a
year
for
the
cost
of
an
unnecessary
military
deployment.
Multiply
that
times
other
unnecessary
military
deployments
that
you’ll
see
in
the
coming
months
and
soon
you’re
talking
real
savings.
How
about
Donald
Trump’s
almost
weekly
golfing
excursions
to
Mar-a-Lago? They
run
the
government
—
that’s
you
and
me
—
about $800,000 per
trip. How
about
staying
at
the
White
House
for
a
couple
of
weekends? That’d
save
you
the
entire
$800,000
—
five
federal
employees
—
per
trip. Or
golf
at
Camp
David,
which
apparently
has
a
single
adjustable
hole
with four
different
tees that
permit
different
driving
distances,
along
with
a
driving
range? The
Secret
Service
wouldn’t
spend
any
800
grand
each
weekend
to
protect
Camp
David,
which
is
already
a
secure
location. Or
golf
at
your
own
resort
in
Bedford,
New
Jersey. That
ain’t
free,
but
at
least
it’s
a
shorter
flight.
But
no.
For
you
and
me,
it’s
austerity. We
can’t
spend
a
dime.
But
for
political
showboating
and
presidential
golf,
there’s
plenty
of
money
for
everything.
Pass
the
frigging
shrimp.
Mark Herrmann spent
17
years
as
a
partner
at
a
leading
international
law
firm
and
later
oversaw
litigation,
compliance
and
employment
matters
at
a
large
international
company.
He
is
the
author
of The
Curmudgeon’s
Guide
to
Practicing
Law and Drug
and
Device
Product
Liability
Litigation
Strategy (affiliate
links).
You
can
reach
him
by
email
at [email protected].