Shopping with Other People's Money

by Pa Rock

Citizen Journalist

The US federal government runs its financial books on what is called a "fiscal year" basis for budgeting and accounting purposes.  The federal fiscal year begins each year on October 1st and runs twelve months through September 30th.  As an example:  fiscal year 2026 (FY26) began October 1, 2025 and will end on September 30, 2026.  Toward the end of each fiscal year federal government agencies go into what is called "use it or lose it" mode where they rush to spend all of their budgeted money before the end of the fiscal year out of a fear that if they don't use it, their need for funds will be perceived as less in future budgets - and cut.

Last week a government watchdog group called "Open the Books" issued a report that revealed the the US Defense Department went on a wild "use it or lose it" spending spree early last September and managed to use $93.4 billion by the end of the month - most of which seems to have gone not for missiles and munitions, but rather was spent on obscenely expensive luxury items, little of which seems likely to make its way down to the level of the troops who carry the weapons and defend our country in uniform.

Fox News, a media outlet traditionally friendly to the Trump administration, was not amused at this latest revelation about Pentagon spending and chose to refer to it as "Lobstergate."  Members of Congress are vowing to investigate - as they damned well should!

At a time when basic government services are being cut across the board, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was on the record supporting the activities of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) which lead the way in many of those cuts, that same government official (tattooed Pete) thought it was acceptable to go on a frenzied spending orgy in September to use up the $93 billion remaining in the Defense Department budget.  US military veterans were losing heath care providers, access to care, and even housing, but Pete stepped into his new green room, powdered his tats, and emerged to go shopping.

Some of the Pentagon's "use it or lose it" purchases for the month of September included:

• $6.9 million for lobster tails;
• $2 million for Alaskan king crab;
• $15.1 million for ribeye steak;
• $140,000 for doughnuts;
• $124,000 for ice cream machines;
• $12,540 for fruit basket stands;   and,
• $98,329 for a Steinway and Sons Grand Piano (for an Air Force residence).

In addition to that September orgasm of spending, from March to June of 2025 the Pentagon spent over $7.4 million monthly for lobster tails.  No one in my part of the woods lives that well.  Hell, my community doesn't even have a Red Lobster!

(This pissed-off taxpayer wants to see the recipient of that pie-annie - and Pete Hegseth - jailed, or fired,  or both!)

It goes without saying that $93.4 billion would have bought a helluva lot of healthcare, or filled hundreds of food pantries, or put thousands of homeless veterans in warm and secure housing, or gotten the base pay of America's teachers up closer to a living wage.

Trump has proposed a record-breaking $1.5 trillion for the FY27 Defense Department Budget.  That's $1,500,000,000,000!  A big portion of Trump's outrageous spending will be tacked onto the national debt where it will accumulate interest and be passed on to our grandchildren and their grandchildren to worry about.   And - bureaucrats like Pentagon Pete will ensure that every damned penny of that budget gets spent - they love to shop with other people's money!

What a shame the oligarchs, billionaires, an Epstein class don't pay taxes!

People, this is why we can't have nice things!