The Secret Service is going broke trying to protect Trump and his family, and keep up with their extravagant lifestyle.

Courtesy of USA Today: 

The Secret Service can no longer pay hundreds of agents it needs to carry out an expanded protective mission – in large part due to the sheer size of President Trump's family and efforts necessary to secure their multiple residences up and down the East Coast. 

Secret Service Director Randolph "Tex'' Alles, in an interview with USA TODAY, said more than 1,000 agents have already hit the federally mandated caps for salary and overtime allowances that were meant to last the entire year. 

The agency has faced a crushing workload since the height of the contentious election season, and it has not relented in the first seven months of the administration. Agents must protect Trump – who has traveled almost every weekend to his properties in Florida, New Jersey and Virginia – and his adult children whose business trips and vacations have taken them across the country and overseas. 

"The president has a large family, and our responsibility is required in law,'' Alles said. "I can't change that. I have no flexibility.'' 

Alles said the service is grappling with an unprecedented number of White House protectees. Under Trump, 42 people have protection, a number that includes 18 members of his family. That's up from 31 during the Obama administration. 

It is not just the large number of Trump family members and associates that is draining resources, it is also the number of locations the Secret Service is expected to cover and the amount of traveling they are required to do.

In response a number of agents are leaving the agency.

And that situation does not appear to be changing anytime soon:

The compensation crunch is so serious that the director has begun discussions with key lawmakers to raise the combined salary and overtime cap for agents, from $160,000 per year to $187,000 for at least the duration of Trump's first term. 

But even if such a proposal was approved, about 130 veteran agents would not be fully compensated for hundreds of hours already amassed, according to the agency. 

"I don't see this changing in the near term,'' Alles said. 

So not only do you have to protect Cheeto Hitler, but you may have to do it on your own time without any hope of compensation. 

I don't know why anybody should be surprised. After all this is EXACTLY how Trump treated contractors that worked for him in the past.

Unpaid National Guard troops stationed at Texas border have turned to a food bank because they are hungry.

New National Guard motto: "Always Ready. Always There. Fucking starving."

Courtesy of Valley Central:  

They came here to help protect the border but now the first wave of Texas National Guard troops deployed after Governor Rick Perry made the call, are needing assistance to pay for food and gas. 

"We were contacted that 50 troops that are in the Valley don't have any money for food and gas and they need our assistance,” said Food Bank RGV Executive Director Terri Drefke. 

They've turned to the Food Bank RGV for help since they won't get paid until September 5th and have been in the Valley since August 11th. 

Drefke told Action 4 News they are more than ready and willing to assist the military personnel. 

"We have fresh, boxed, and frozen food available” Drefke said. 

Local lawmakers got wind of the issue when Action 4 News contacted them with our questions. 

Texas State Rep, Rene Oliveira (D-Brownsville) said he is appalled. 

"It's embarrassing that our troops have to stand in a food pantry line,” Rep. Oliveira said. “This is the fault of the state." 

Oliveira is willing to use some of his own money to pay for meals for the National Guard deployed to Cameron County, but says all the blame falls on the lack of planning.

As you might imagine Rick Perry's office took offense to this story and claimed it was exaggerated:  

"First, the suggestion that Guardsmen aren’t getting paid is false. They are getting paid on a regular schedule with their first pay day on Sept. 5, then every two weeks after that. Second, based on information provided by the Texas National Guard, two soldiers sought and received assistance through the Family Assistance Coordinator. Family Assistance Coordinators routinely help Guardsmen all across the state with needs they may have, regardless of deployment or duty status. Also, based on information provided by the Guard, they currently have no indication that any Guardsmen received any assistance from the Rio Grande Valley Food Bank. 

Governor Perry is confident the Guard stands ready to assist to any Soldier who may need it, regardless of deployment or duty status so they can meet the needs of their family, or the mission they are performing."

Well here we go again. Do we believe the food bank, and the reporters, or do we believe the Texas politician with national aspirations who is trying to cover his ass?

Boy that's a real conundrum.

Okay let's go with Perry and accept that it was only two soldiers who asked for assistance.

Do we really think these men went to the food bank asking for a handout without EVER contacting their superior officers and letting them know that their situation was getting desperate?

I  mean NOBODY wants to ask for charity, and usually that is the last resort for somebody who has run out of options.

So whether it was two soldier or fifty, even one soldier made to stand in the blistering heat without adequate nourishment is one too many.