Expert Fun-Ruiner Barack Obama Outlaws Personalized Mugs

Useless promotional gear is an important part of American culture. After all, the Founding Fathers were all wearing Ovaltine sweatshirts and Livestrong bracelets when they created this country, which is probably why Barack Obama is now doing everything he can to destroy   yet another part of our American way of life.

On Wednesday, Obama will sign an executive order that will direct government agencies to, among other things, “stop using taxpayer dollars to buy swag.”

What exactly falls under the category of “swag”? Plaques, “nonessential items used for promotional purposes” like clothing, pens and mugs, and “other unnecessary promotional items that agencies purchase.”

The executive order will also direct federal agencies to reduce spending on travel, limit the number of “information technology devices” issued to employees, including cellphones, smartphones, tablets and laptops, stop unnecessarily printing documents that can be posted online and even shrink the “executive fleet” of the federal government.

According to the administration, spending in the above areas is expected to be reduced by 20 percent as a result of the directive.

So there you have it, 20 percent of government spending consists of hats, coffee mugs and t-shirts. Take that, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease, no more cool stuff for you! [ Politico ]