Topic: Gao

A GAO report found that the Biden administration used funds allocated for the border wall to conduct environmental planning instead. Simultaneously, the Florida-based GEO Group secured a $25 million annual contract to provide air operations support for ICE, facilitating the transport of immigrants within the country.

Victor Gao, a former translator for the Chinese Communist Party, warned that Australia's acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines makes the country a potential target for nuclear weapons. He challenged the distinction between nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed vessels, suggesting Australia has lost its "nuclear-free" privilege.

Comptroller General Gene Dodaro testifies that the federal government made over $144 billion in "improper payments" in 2016 alone, with a cumulative total of $1.2 trillion since 2003. The majority of these errors occur in Medicare, Medicaid, and the Earned Income Tax Credit. The hosts express outrage at the scale of the waste and the government's inability to audit the Pentagon or track these funds properly.

The GAO estimates that $60 billion is spent annually to maintain aging federal IT systems, including those at the Social Security Administration. Critics in Congress argue that IT graduates are being "dumbed down" to learn 1960s-era programming. The hosts defend the reliability of IBM mainframes and the AS/400, noting that the airline industry still relies on these robust legacy systems for core operations.

During his filibuster of the Patriot Act, Rand Paul delivered a lecture on the collapse of the separation of powers and the rise of an unelected bureaucracy. He cited a GAO report regarding the massive economic cost of federal regulations that bypass congressional approval. Despite the speech, the hosts express skepticism toward Paul due to his support for the USA Freedom Act, which they argue merely moves bulk data collection to private telecommunications companies.

Adam Curry deconstructs a sensationalized CNN report regarding a GAO document on aviation cybersecurity. He clarifies that while the report mentions "Internet Protocol" (IP) for the FAA's NextGen system, it does not mean airplanes are directly connected to the public internet for flight controls. He criticizes correspondent Renee Marsh for suggesting that a passenger with a laptop and a USB plug could crash a plane, calling the coverage "propaganda."

A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report reveals that 11 out of 12 regional US carriers failed to meet hiring targets due to low starting salaries, which average $22,400 annually. Despite handling half of all domestic flights, regional pilots earn significantly less than mainline or transatlantic pilots. The data is scrutinized as a potential union-planted narrative intended to push for higher wages across the aviation industry.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke addresses the "Audit the Fed" movement during a C-SPAN appearance. He argues that the Fed's financials are already thoroughly audited by private firms and the GAO. He claims the proposed legislation is a "misnomer" intended to allow Congress to interfere with independent monetary policy decisions, which he believes would harm the economy.

The IMF's new "4 degrees" climate change meme is identified as a precursor to a proposed $23 per ton carbon tax. Simultaneously, a GAO report estimating U.S. oil reserves at three trillion barrels is discussed, contradicting "peak oil" theories. The hosts argue that fracking and new extraction technologies have fundamentally changed the energy landscape, though they personally favor nuclear power.

A government report indicates a spike in air traffic control mistakes, but the hosts argue the data is being manipulated to promote the "Next-Gen" aviation system. By highlighting human error, the government and PR firms are building a case for fully automated, pilotless aircraft. They point out that the reporting methodology was changed recently, making current statistics incomparable to previous years.

The Department of Energy is criticized for unilaterally shutting down the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository, a move that has cost taxpayers $25 billion without providing an alternative. During congressional hearings, even Democrats like Jay Inslee of Washington State described the situation as a "failed state" scenario where the government refuses to follow clear law. The abandonment of the site leaves nuclear waste stranded at various reactor sites across the country with no long-term disposal plan.

A House subcommittee evaluated the TSA's Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques (SPOT) program, which has cost $1.2 billion despite a GAO report claiming it lacks scientific validation. The TSA refused to attend the hearing, leaving an empty placard at the witness table. Representative Paul Broun criticized the agency for rolling out expensive technologies, like "puffer" machines and backscatter scanners, before they were properly tested.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) continues to find vulnerabilities in U.S. transportation security, including failures to detect explosives in passenger luggage. Thomas Kean advocated for the full implementation of the REAL ID Act and comprehensive biometric entry and exit systems to track foreign nationals.

Congressman John Micah of Florida revealed during a hearing that a General Accounting Office (GAO) report on TSA body scanners is being kept top secret because the failure rates are "pronounced." Micah argued that the American public would be outraged if the expenditure on these non-functional machines were revealed. The TSA maintains that the machines are effective, but refuses to disclose specific performance data due to security classifications.

Representative Pat Meehan questioned Janet Napolitano about a GAO report highlighting a lack of coordination and technical capability in the U.S. bioterrorism response. Napolitano responded by criticizing the GAO for releasing "alleged vulnerabilities" in an unclassified format. The hosts characterize her response as a "shut up slave" tactic to avoid accountability.

The General Accountability Office (GAO) conducted a sting operation against the FDA's approval process by submitting a fake product called "Adhesia Block." Despite the application using names like "April Phuls" and a headquarters in "Cheatsville, Arizona," the dangerous medical device was approved for human trials.

A discussion regarding the DNA service company 23andMe follows a meal at the French bistro Fringal. The hosts highlight a Government Accountability Office (GAO) probe forwarded to the FDA and FTC claiming the company's health risk predictions are scientifically bogus. The segment notes the involvement of Google co-founder Sergei Brin and his wife, Anne Wojcicki, in the company's founding and financing.

The hosts discuss a GAO audit of Recovery.gov that found the $18 million website used outdated data. They critique Federal CIO Vivek Kundra's "cloud" initiatives and the government's attempt to promote apps through portals like apps.gov.

Federal investigators from the GAO successfully obtained Energy Star certifications for several fake products, including a gas-powered alarm clock and a space heater with flypaper attached. This exposure of the government's energy efficiency program is cited by the hosts as proof that "green" certification systems are often fraudulent and unverified.

The book "National Suicide" by Martin L. Gross is reviewed, which argues that the actual U.S. national deficit is closer to $23 trillion when using honest accounting. Gross, a financial analyst, claims that by 2011, the U.S. will pay nearly $1 trillion annually just in interest. The hosts suggest the country should consider filing for bankruptcy or "taking the country public."