Americans pay a lot in taxes every year, and most of us would like to think that our tax dollars are being used efficiently. Of course, if you actually thought that you would be wrong, because our government loves to waste taxpayer dollars on some very weird things. Here are a few of the many ways that the government spends our tax dollars.
1. World of Warcraft
Over $3,000,000 was spent by researchers at University of California to study different video games.
2. Ironman
Reportedly, the U.S. Army spent about $80 million, while trying to develop a "real-life ironman". Who doesn't love a good superhero?
3. Phantom Hospital
It is reported that Medicare paid out $35 million to phantom hospitals. These hospitals never actually existed and were created by criminal gangs to get the money.
4. Cows
The University of New Hampshire was given $700,000 to study the emission of methane gas. This pretty much means that they were given $700,000 to study cow burps and farts.
5. Prostitutes
The National Institute of Health spent $442,340 to study the behaviors of Vietnamese male prostitutes.
6. Speed Bumps
Portland, Maine spent $335,000 to place 38 speed bumps in two neighborhoods. This means that each bump cost about $8, 815.
7. Super Bowl Commercial
The U.S. Census Bureau spent $2,500,000 to buy a Super Bowl spot and produce a commercial. The commercial came out so bad that it eventually ended up being banned.
8. Treadmills and Mountain Lions
The University of California - Santa Monica decided to train mountain lions how to walk on treadmills. The "study" took months, $856,000, and served no real purpose.
9. Guantanamo Bay Soccer
The U.S. government spent $750,000 to build a new soccer field at Guantanamo Bay. At least the detainees were excited about it.
10. Emails
The U.S. Department of Education paid twenty employees $240 an hour to teach "Email Writing Courses" to federal government employees.
For more ways weird ways your tax dollars are used check out Turning Point USA's publication 50 Wacky Ways The Government Spends Your Money.
