In an outrageous but unsurprising revelation about the extent to which our tax dollars are being wasted by Washington politicians this one extends to the staff of those very elected officials charged with the task of spending federal funds wisely. Senator Tom Coburn (R-Ok.), who has been diligent when it comes to exposing waste and fraud in government, sent a detailed letter to Congressional Leaderslate last month detailing many of the programs he believes need to be ended due to the amount of money they cost relative to the lack of value they are worth in relation to benefitting the taxpayers. Sen. Coburn notes that “There are a variety of commonsense actions Congress could take to save money within its own budget…” and he cites an extensive list but one in particular caught our eye: Lifestyle Coaching for Congress.  This section of the letter outlines what amounts to be nothing more than taxpayer funded activities that literally have nothing to do with how legislative staff should be functioning as a paid member of a Senator or Representative’s office:

• A class to help staffers socially titled “Small Talk: Breaking the Ice in Social Situations”; and
• A lifestyle class designed to help staffers titled “Lighten Up! Spring Cleaning for your Body and Your Life,” where staffers can learn about healthy eating and recipes to be “balanced, calm and focused and several practices that will support you in releasing the old and inviting in the new.”
• From Stress to Relaxation to help staffers with “exhaustion and lack of clarity” (Senate)
• Your Credit Score – Friend or Foe (House)
• Choose Your Attitude: Attitude is Everything (Senate)
• What’s My Communication Style? (Senate)
• Benefits of a Good Night’s Sleep (Senate)