Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is continuing his annual tradition of laying out his grievances with the federal government’s spending in his “Festivus Report.”
In his 139-page report, Paul notes the COVID-19 pandemic and the shutdowns designed to curb the spread of the virus that have led forced millions of Americans out of work.
“Let’s just say 1968, the benchmark for a news-heavy and chaotic year, got serious competition from 2020,” he said as he claimed Congress “spent as never before, doing so ostensibly without a care.”
He continued, “It is more important than ever for Congress to find its fiscal backbone. Our debt puts at risk the long-term solvency of major programs such as Social Security. And why? To pay for test tubes for COVID tests that turn out to be soda bottles? To see if hot tubbing a few times a week eases stress? Or is the risk worth it so we can literally lose drones over Afghanistan?”
“You’ll find all that, and more, in this year’s edition of my Festivus Report, highlighting $54,746,524,505.37 of totally wasted money. So, before we get to the Feats of Strength, it’s time for my Airing of (Spending) Grievances!”
He also tweeted a thread of grievances. He wrote, “We will talk about Congress, Petty Tyrants all over, foreign aid, wasteful spending, science denying ‘experts’ and other holiday goodies.”
“This is not the time for holiday cheer! That’s for TOMORROW, AFTER we air our grievances,” he added.
“I’ll start where everyone in American should begin with their grievances. Congress. Oh, Congress, where to even begin.”
We will talk about Congress, Petty Tyrants all over, foreign aid, wasteful spending, science denying “experts” and other holiday goodies.This is not the time for holiday cheer! That’s for TOMORROW, AFTER we air our grievances.
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2020
He also turned his attention to the recent $2.3 trillion spending bill that included a roughly $900 billion coronavirus relief package, “Congress passed a nearly 5,600-page bill that was written in secret, put in public 6 hours before the vote, and read by NOT ONE person in the body. Not. One.”
“We will spend all week and probably longer trying to figure out all that was wrong with it. But we have a few already,” he added.
Congress passed a nearly 5,600 page bill that was written in secret, put in public 6 hours before the vote, and read by NOT ONE person in the body. Not. One. We will spend all week and probably longer trying to figure out all that was wrong with it. But we have a few already…
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2020
He also noted that the relief bill was set to send Americans $600 stimulus checks, similar to $1,200 checks sent out under the CARES Act passed in March. He asked, “Would you like to know what they gave everyone else?”
He continued to share examples of the government spending bill allocating billions of dollars for foreign aid.
“Festivus,” a fictional holiday that has become popular after it appeared on a “Seinfield” episode in the 1990s, features the airing of grievances and demonstrating “feats of strength.”
