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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 29, 2014)
Page 6 ^Jarliani* (Observer October 29, 2014 New Prices Effective May 1,2010 Martin Cleaning Service DOWN THE HOLE Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Residential & Commercial Services Minimum Service CHG $45.00 A sm all distance/travel charge m ay be applied CARPET CLEANING 2 Cleaning Areas or more $30.00 Each Area Pre-Spray Traffic Areas (Includes: I sm all H allw ay) 1 Cleaning Area (only) $40.00 Includes Pre-Spray Traffic Area (Hallway Extra) Stairs (12-16 stairs - With Other Services): $25.00 Area/Oriental Rugs: $25.00 Minimum Area/Oriental Rugs (Wooly. $40.00M i nimum Heavily Soiled Area: Additional $10.00 each area (RequiringExtensivePre-Spraying) UPHOLSTERY CLEANING Sofa: $69.00 Loveseat: $49.00 Sectional: $109-$139 Chair or Recliner: $25 - $49 Throw Pillows (With Other Services)’. $5.00 A ADDITIONAL SERVICES • Area & Oriental Rug Cleaning • Auto/Boat/RV Cleaning • Deodorizing & Pet Odor Treatment • Spot & Stain Removal Service • Scotchguard Protection • Minor Water Damage Services SEE CURRENT FLYER FOR ADDITIONAL PRICES & SERVICES Call for Appointment (503) 281-3949 Pentagon Won’t Tell Where the Money Goes Taxpayers are still waiting by M edea B en jamin President Barack O bam a proudly signed the law that rep ealed the P e n ta g o n ’s D o n ’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, freeing lesbian, gay, and bisexual Ameri cans (although not trans people) to openly serve in the military four years ago. But when it comes to budget ing, the concept lingers on. “Don’t ask us how we spend money,” the Pentagon basically says. “Be cause we can’t really tell you.” Every taxpayer, business, and government agency in America is supposed to be able to pass a financial audit by the feds, every year. It’s the law, so we do our duty. There’s one exception: the Pentagon Year after year, the non-par tisan Government Accountabil ity Office declares the Penta gon budget to be un-auditable. In 2013, for example, the GAO found that the Pentagon consis tently fails to control its costs, m easure its perform ance, or prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse. Congress thankfully, did give New York Times investigative B arbara Lee, D -C alif., Jan the Pentagon a deadline to get journalist James Risen reported Schakowsky, D-I1L, Michael Bur itself in better financial shape — that more than $1 billion in funds gess, R-Texas, and Dan Benishek, 25 years ago. Taxpayers are still intended for Iraq’s reconstruc R-Mich., wants to push the Pen waiting. tion may have wound up in a tagon further. Their Audit the The Chief Financial Of Lebanese bunker. Or not. U.S. Pentagon Act of 2014 (HR5126) ficers Act of 1990 requires investigators couldn’t get to the calls for cutting any “un- every federal agency to pass bottom of that one. auditable” Pentagon operation by a routine financial audit not Former Pentagon boss Robert one-half of 1 percent. It will be an once, not twice, but every M. Gates once described the U.S. uphill battle to get majority sup year. All the other agencies military as a semi-feudal system port for even that slap on the do it. — “an amalgam of fiefdoms with wrist, given how lawmakers have What does the Pentagon de out centralized mechanisms to failed to get the Pentagon to carry liver instead? Promises. The De allocate resources, track expen through with the audit they first fense Department always swears ditures, and measure results rela demanded more than 20 years it will conduct an audit — and tive to the department’s overall ago. then requests five more years to priorities.” I find this particularly amazing do it. Gates also complained that it due to my own personal experi How has Congress responded? was nearly impossible to get ac ence as the co-founder of a small By doubling the Pentagon’s bud curate information and answers and scrappy feminist peace group get between 2000 and 2010. Many to basic questions, such as “How called Codepink. In 2008, the In members are now railing against much money did you spend?” ternal Revenue Service singled us “cuts” that will still keep military and “How many people do you out for an audit. We underwent a spending at stratospheric levels have?” tedious, energy-draining account over the next decade. Congress, charged with over ing of every dollar spent and com How bad could things be? Well, sight, is afraid of stepping on the plied with every bit of minutiae the most recent scandals may Pentagon’s powerful toes. The the IRS requested. It wasn’t fun, help answer this question. House did, to its credit, pass an but it was our duty and we did it In Afghanistan, the Air Force amendment to the National De — and passed. And every year bought the Afghan government fense Authorization Act a few we’re prepared to do it again. 20 Italian transport planes for months ago that would require If Codepink can handle an au $486 million. When it found out the Pentagon to rank its depart dit, why can’t the Pentagon? It’s the planes didn’t work, it crushed ments in order of how auditable high time- the Defense Depart them into scrap metal, recouping they are. ment fulfilled its commitment to just $32,000. The am endm ent, how ever, account for every taxpayer dollar Other examples of disastrous lacks any penalties for recalci in its $555-billion budget. post-9/11 spending abound. In trant divisions. Medea Benjamin is a co his new book Pay Any Price, A bipartisan group led by Reps. founder of Codepink for Peace.
