Will Someone Please Take the Credit Cards Away from Mr. Bush

And the frivolous spending goes on and on.

Today, the Bush administration plans to shift nearly $230 million in aid to Pakistan from counter terrorism programs to upgrading that country’s aging F-16 attack planes, which Pakistan prizes more for their contribution to its military rivalry with India than for fighting insurgents along its Afghan border.

It seems to me this is a no-brainer opportunity to cut some fat and unnecessary spending, even though $230 million is a drop in the bucket compared to the more than $1 Trillion that is dumped down the drain each year by the D.C. crowd.

As usual, some members of Congress have greeted the proposal with dismay and anger, and may block the move. More likely they are simply getting a bit of press and will let OUR money go to Pakistan. The lawmakers and their aides say that F-16s do not help the counter terrorism campaign.

It looks to me that the timing of the Bush action caught lawmakers off guard, and is meant to curry favor with the new Pakistani prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani, who will meet with President Bush in Washington next week. Kind of like buying your new date a nice surprise present with daddy's money, right?

BTW, the financing for the F-16s would represent more than two-thirds of the $300 million that Pakistan will receive this year in American military financing for equipment and training, meaning borrowing more money so they can give it to Lockheed Martin.

Senator Patrick J. Leahy (D, VT), the head of the appropriations subcommittee on State Department and foreign operations and Nita M. Lowey (D, NY) the head of the House appropriations subcommittee on foreign operations need to hear from us taxpayers with a simple message - "STOP SPENDING OUR MONEY ON THIS NONSENSE".

The big spenders in Washington have already given more than $10 billion in military aid to Pakistan since the Sept. 11 attacks, when President Musharraf agreed to become an ally in the campaign against terrorism.

Here's my suggestion (and I'm sending it over to Senator Reid this morning).

KILL THIS DEAL NOW. IMMEDIATELY STOP SPENDING OUR MONEY THAT WE DON'T HAVE. WE'RE BROKE AND YOU ALL ARE IRRESPONSIBLE.

If you want to spend $230 million, why not give it in $100,000 gift cards to 2300 randomly selected, soon to be foreclosed homeowners.

Or, how about randomly picking 230 starving senior citizens that are desperately trying to survive on only social security and making them instant millionaires. If that seems a bit too narrow a distribution of funds, give 2300 seniors $100,000 each or 4600 seniors $50,000 each.

And, since you're being generous with our money, please make it tax free to the recipients.

Simply, Senator Reid and Speaker Pelosi, it's time to put Americans first. Please remember that you do work for us, right?

The Best Money Guy