Take Italy, for instance. Everyone knows it's up a certain creek without a certain implement. Everyone knows that if the shit hits the fan in Greece Italy could be next. And yet the Italian government is buying 19 Maserati Quattroportes and modifying them with armour at a cost of a couple of million Euros...
for just one ministry.
Italy's Ministry of Defence has been forced to defend its decision to purchase 19 Maserati limousines at a time when the government is cutting billions in public spending in response to the European debt crisis.
The four-door Maserati Quattroportes, which start from $118,000 in Italy and are powered by a 4.2-litre V8 engine, are reportedly replacing the ministry's fleet of Audis and Lancias. They have been armour-plated for additional protection.
[...]
Italy's defence minister, Ingazio La Russa, has accused the opposition of a "witch hunt", claiming the Maseratis were purchased using funds from the 2008-2009 budget and therefore before the introduction of cuts by the Silvio Berlusconi government.
A defence minister there, missing the point by a fucking mille miglia. Of course Britain should resist any temptation to get at all smug about this.
And let's be realistic, with the Cobbleition's track record over its 18 months driving the bus it won't be long before spend some money they haven't got on something far more catastrophically stupid.
