I hate to get ripped off. Stories about federal workers buying clothes and jewelry and going to bars and strip clubs on Uncle Sam’s credit card drive me crazy. Anything we can do about it? You could solve this problem in a second in your own business. First, regularly audit the credit-card purchases. Second, if an employee has charged personal items to the company issued credit card: “Hey guy, you’re fired.” Simple as that. Stealing is a no-no. The incidents of fraudulent credit card purchases would drop like a stone.

Of course, with the public employee unions wielding such power, firing someone probably takes an act of Congress or maybe even an act of God. Now comes a new plan to evaluate the credit worthiness of federal employees before they even receive a government credit card. Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa argues that the government employees should get a credit check, just like us poor shmucks who get credit that isn’t funded at taxpayers’ expense. Surprise, surprise, Mark Roth of the American Federation of Government Employees, objects, saying, “We consider this another slap, an insult to federal employees.”

Geez, I guess there are hurt feelings all around, because taxpayers feel slapped around a bit, too. Makes me want to punch the guy. I still think we should just fire the people who steal. But, if this plan to toughen requirements for getting a government credit card is the best Congress can offer, I’m for it. Senator Grassley says of the new plan, “This is Common Sense .”

Hey, that’s my line! I’m Paul Jacob.