Joe Ricketts -- whose family owns the Chicago Cubs -- is completely appalled at the government's frivolous waste of your hard-earned tax dollars.
But, Ricketts' conviction to ending wasteful spending doesn't extend to his own billionaire family suckling on the government teat.
Yeah, we're calling hypocrite on this one.
Ricketts is so disgusted that he is heading up the Ending Spending a GOP super political action committee -- the same one that planned to launch attack ads against President Barack Obama by highlighting his ties to Reverend Jeremiah Wright.
The super PAC's mission is "educating and engaging American taxpayers about wasteful and excessive government spending."
Who gets to decide what is excessive and what is wasteful?
Consider that whether you're a sports fan or not, Mesa is sinking some $99 million into renovating the Chicago Cub's spring training home in a deal that voters approved back in 2010.
It wasn't a unanimous vote, so there are still a good chunk of Mesa residents who consider it a waste of money.
Why doesn't Ricketts feature that racket on his Ending Spending website?
And the same franchise is hitting up Chicago taxpayers for $300 million to renovate Wrigley Field.
Certainly Ricketts doesn't consider that a waste of taxpayer money.
Should government use tax dollars to fund multimillion dollar sports stadiums and arenas on behalf of deep-pocketed owners?
Well, look no further than Glendale and its financial debacle over the Phoenix Coyotes and the $180-million-plus taxpayer-funded hockey arena to see that it's not such a good idea.
However, Mesa Mayor Scott Smith tells New Times that his city's investment in the spring training facility isn't "wasteful," as it draws thousands of fans and injects hundreds of millions of dollars into the economy.
So, is Smith worried that Joe Ricketts and company, who post the names and photos of "budget bandits" -- those elected officials who support wasteful and out-of-control spending -- will get his mug and slap it up on the website?
Nah -- he doesn't really care as long as the picture features his "good side."
