Archive for March, 2025
Waste, Fraud, Abuse, Mismanagement, and Illegality
by John Weckerle
Editor’s note: Research for this post involved the use of AI, specifically Microsoft Copilot in this case. Any text taken directly from the AI responses will be identified as such, presented in italics and enclosed by quotes. Those interested in taking the AI plunge are encouraged to start their queries with “Using only highly credible sources with live links” to minimize the return of “less useful” information. We will likely be referring back to this post in future ones dealing more specifically with the subjects presented here.
There has been a great deal of talk of late on the subject of waste, fraud, abuse, mismanagement, and “illegal behavior.” As is often the case, there are a good number of people tossing these terms around without necessarily knowing – and certainly not correctly presenting – their meanings. These words to not simply mean anything a particular party wants them to, nor should they be incorrectly assigned to situations or actions to which they don’t actually apply. These are very serious subjects, and discussions can become misleading if the meanings of the terms in the relevant context isn’t accurately communicated.
While your editor has of necessity had a firm grasp on these concepts for many years, we decided to pulse our good friend Microsoft Copilot for a summary. Copilot provided the following response based on information taken from the US Governement Accountability Office, which is the US government’s watchdog:
“Waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement are terms often used to describe inefficiencies and misconduct in U.S. government operations. Here’s a breakdown:
- Waste: This refers to the careless or thoughtless use of resources, leading to unnecessary expenses. For example, purchasing overpriced equipment or failing to utilize resources effectively can be classified as waste](https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-107743).
- Fraud: Fraud involves deliberate deception to secure unlawful or unfair gains. This could include falsifying documents to claim government funds or misrepresenting information to obtain benefits.
- Abuse: Abuse occurs when individuals misuse their authority or position for improper purposes. Examples include using government resources for personal gain or favoring specific contractors inappropriately.
- Mismanagement: Mismanagement refers to poor administration or oversight that jeopardizes an agency’s ability to fulfill its mission. This could involve failing to address known issues, such as outdated systems or inefficient processes](https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-107743).
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) regularly identifies areas vulnerable to these issues in its “High-Risk List,” which highlights programs and operations needing significant improvement. Addressing these problems can save billions of dollars and improve government efficiency.“
Again, years of experience leads us to recognize that these are relatively good summaries of the four concepts. To re-emphasize: these terms have specific meanings in the context of government operations.
Now let us turn to the term “illegal.” Again, the AI provided a reasonable summary of the concept.
“The term “illegal” refers to actions, behaviors, or circumstances that are prohibited by law or not authorized under the established legal framework of a jurisdiction. It signifies a violation of rules set by governing authorities, whether at the local, state, national, or international level.
For example:
- Actions like theft or fraud are considered illegal because they break criminal laws.
- Operating a business without a required license may be illegal under administrative or regulatory laws.
The Cornell Legal Information Institute (LII) provides a detailed legal glossary and interpretations of terms like “illegal” as they apply in various legal contexts.“
So, let’s be clear. Nothing is illegal because it’s annoying, doesn’t fit with a particular philosophy, is inconsistent with somebody’s faith, goes against anybody’s agenda(s), seems stupid, or is repulsive. An action is only illegal if it violates a statute, regulation, ordinance, etc. that is in place at the time it is committed. Despite this, the term “illegal” seems to be abused on almost an hourly basis.* This is dishonest and misleading.
Let us be honest in our conversations and use common terminology. The subjects at hand are complicated enough without confusion regarding the use of well-defined terms.
* NM-Central can neither confirm nor refute rumors that a new college drinking game is sweeping the nation, in which participants take a shot of tequila when a certain highly placed individual says “illegal” and a shot of Canadian whiskey when he says “fraud.” Neither can we confirm nor refute that hundreds of people have died of alcohol poisoning playing it.