Spendthrifts in government

What else does one expect from those in charge of money that is not theirs (OPM: other people’s money)? In today’s Tony & Tacky column of the Wall Street Journal, we find this bit:

STUNG ANYWAY: Think the Pentagon pays too much for toilet seats? How about the bureaucrats in Maryland who paid $28.50 for a can of wasp spray; $26.99 for a can of windshield de-icer worth 99 cents at a store; and $3.89 each for 100-watt light bulbs? What amazes investigating state lawmakers even more, the Baltimore Sun reported Wednesday, is the current status of the employees who blew $1.4 million this way. Most are still at their jobs, credit cards and all.

A left-leaning (“leaning” may even be too weak to describe him) acquaintance of mine once complained of how government employees are unfairly “cr*pped on”. I cannot help but wonder, how come, with his super intellect (a Ph.D. from a well-known univeristy), he can’t see why this is so.