WASHINGTON (AP) - Some 200 Army personnel used government charge cards to get $38,000 in cash that they spent on "lap dancing and other forms of entertainment" at strip clubs near military bases [...]

The story is a perfect example of Senators and reporters mixing apples and oranges in order to make a point. The travel cards (call them apples) are issued in the name of the traveler by the credit card company whether he wants it or not. The government does not guarantee payment and all charges are the holder's responsibility. The rationale is that it saves the government money since it does not have to make advance payments on travel plus the credit card company pays a percentage back to the government.

Now you would think that the government would be happy to have the kickback (note the editorial comment in an otherwise fact based sentence) on any purchase the holder might make, but of course, the rules are that it can only be used for "official" travel costs. Official travel costs are whatever gets charged unless the traveler does not pay his bill or the government wishes to make a point. In my last three jobs in the Army, I had the dubious pleasure of being an enforcer of the rules. My favorite was the employee who had his Porsche 911 engine rebuilt and used his travel card (American Express) to pay for it because all his personal cards were maxed out. Not a pretty sight. The cards are issued to all Army travelers including very junior personnel who may be having financial problems. As to the security clearance angle; security clearance are granted on the basis of need to know and not on the basis of rank, age or good old commonsense.

The other card (call it the orange) is called the Impact Card and it is issued to a government employee to purchase needed supplies and equipment without going through the whole competitive process. I think the limit is $2500. The Palm Pilot purchase is an obvious misuse of the card. In my experience, those mostly occur when a senior official really wants something and the always junior cardholder does not want to disappoint him.

All this may be another example of the Law of Unintended Consequences.