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82 Comments
- rthakidn, on 07/02/2009, -4/+66It seems 535 people in Washington believe "we the people" exist to provide them with the lifestyle of the rich and famous. I particularly like the Afganistan trip; 1 day in Afganistan, 7 days in Italy. And we paid for it.
- methdwman3, on 07/02/2009, -6/+54Should be a lesson to those who think government will be so much nicer with your money, instead of the big, bad corporations. You are fooling yourselves.
- tpmidd, on 07/02/2009, -4/+50Some of the most expensive travel is to exotic locales.
Last summer, Rep. Brian Baird (D., Wash.) took a four-day trip to the Galápagos Islands with his wife, four other lawmakers and their family members. The lawmakers spent $22,000 on meals and hotels, records show. Mr. Baird, a member of the House Science Committee, said the trip was to learn about global warming.
On the first day, lawmakers toured a breeding center for giant tortoise and land iguanas before dining with scientists, according to an itinerary for the trip. The next morning, lawmakers headed to the Galápagos National Park while their family members had the option of hiking, swimming or shopping. That afternoon, the group boarded a boat to visit a sea-lion colony and search for white-tip sharks.
Mr. Baird didn't respond to a request for comment. - Gandalff, on 07/02/2009, -6/+48FTA:"The spending on overseas travel is up almost tenfold since 1995, and has nearly tripled since 2001, according to the Journal analysis of 60,000 travel records. Hundreds of lawmakers traveled overseas in 2008 at a cost of about $13 million. That's a 50% JUMP since Democrats took control of Congress two years ago."
Most ethical? Draining the swamp too or filling it Nancy? - Indyanna, on 07/02/2009, -4/+44I'm so confused...
"In mid-June, Sen. Daniel Inouye (D., Hawaii) led a group of a half-dozen senators and their spouses on a four-day trip to France for the biennial Paris Air Show. An itinerary for the event shows that lawmakers flew on the Air Force's version of the Boeing 737, which costs $5,700 an hour to operate. They stayed at the Intercontinental Paris Le Grand Hotel, which advertises rooms from $460 a night.
The lawmakers were invited to a dinner party at the U.S. Embassy and had cocktails at a private party at the Eiffel Tower. Mr. Inouye attended a dinner sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association, a U.S. trade group."
Somebody help me here. Six U.S. senators had to go all the way to Paris in order to meet with a US-based trade group for dinner. Maybe I'm really dense, but why couldn't they have had dinner in the U.S.? Oh, well. They're Senators and therefore operate on a much higher plane than peasants like myself. That's all I need to know. - jefffriedberg, on 07/02/2009, -10/+50How's YOUR summer vacation? How's all the Hope and Change working for ya? Have you caught on yet?
- pjr12345, on 07/02/2009, -13/+52I'm torn!
On the one hand I'm outraged that these slimy sleezeballs are running around the world, vacationing on my nickel.
On the other hand, if more of them were out of the country they'd have fewer opportunities to steal more of my dollars!
Screw the parties: Vote Conservative! - Shwaavay, on 07/02/2009, -4/+42Conservative position: Waste ***** like this is inseparable from government. The only way to control it is to keep government as small as possible.
Liberal position: We need a commission to study the effects of congressional vacations to see how much more government we will need to regulate these activities. Maybe a new cabinet level position to oversee travel. - govsucks, on 07/02/2009, -5/+38Send a bucket of piss down to the peasants with our warmest regards.
-Nancy - mdhenshaw, on 07/02/2009, -5/+33Awesome, now you can use global warming as an excuse to fly to exotic locals at taxpayer expense. Just imagine the carbon footprint for that trip.
- legolas68, on 07/02/2009, -5/+32Time for the perk to end.
Time for the current lot of "most ethical" congressmen and congresswomen to be shown the door.
Term limits baby, term limits. - Chahrlie5, on 07/02/2009, -7/+32Man I LOVE Paying taxes, can't wait to pay even more!
Bring on cap'n'trade, I love taxes! I'm saving the environment by paying them right? ...right?
***** the government. - govsucks, on 07/02/2009, -4/+29I would digg this statement up 100 times if I could. The HUMAN BEINGS in government are just as greedy, self serving and narcissistic as any corporate executive or any other member of the general public for that matter. The only difference is that the government official is less accountable than the one in the private sector. Bernie Madoff goes to jail for 150 years for managing a fund in a way that is no different than how social security is managed. But you won't be seeing anyone in government going to jail for that ponzi scheme. Even though far more people have been ripped off for far more money.
- inactive, on 07/02/2009, -5/+29The ***** need to hang. End of story.
- rpfinley, on 07/02/2009, -2/+25The answer is an easily accessible website that shows the spending and lobbying for every congress member.
- BulkHedd, on 07/02/2009, -4/+25I like how there are never any voices from the left on stories like this. Not that the right is any better.
The only solution to this crap is term limits.
Ask yourselves this question: Do you believe your representatives will do what is necessary to protect your liberties? Even if it may cost them an election? - govsucks, on 07/02/2009, -5/+25He learned a BUNCH about how to pwn suckers with global warming hysteria and get a free ride.
- caif, on 07/02/2009, -4/+24You Son of Bitches! Insensitive to us common folk. We will remember this.
- jammies, on 07/02/2009, -4/+23Too bad somebody didn't think of feeding the sharks during the tour.......
Oh, wait! The sharks WERE feeding.....the TWO-LEGGED sharks were STUFFING THEMSELVES with taxpayer-funded PORK, VACATION "trips"........
Face it, people, THESE WERE VACATIONS THAT YOU PAID FOR!! - belleboy, on 07/02/2009, -3/+21What a crock of nonsense. These thieving, incompetent, lying, insincere asses are trying to peddle bologna at $20.00/lb. 2010; throw the bums out and save America!
- tman84, on 07/02/2009, -7/+23where are all the liberal diggers defending this?
- downs1, on 07/02/2009, -6/+21What's the matter with you people?! Don't you get it?? It's DO AS I SAY, NOT DO AS I DO!! What we are telling you common people is that the laws we make apply to you--not to us!! Also, when we say you have to tighten your belts, we mean exactly that--YOUR belts--NOT OURS!! You are under the mistaken impression that we are here in Washington to serve you, the "people" -- maybe that's how it used to be many years ago, but no more! Now, you elect us and we come here to be served by you, the people! What do you think we are--stupid!! Wake up America!!
- inigomntoya, on 07/02/2009, -5/+20I agree - there are good and bad people on both sides of the aisle.
“I have no fear that the result of our experiment will be that men may be trusted to govern themselves without a master.” Thomas Jefferson
The point of founding this nation was to eventually get to a point where people didn't need government to rule their lives. Instead, we have gone the exact opposite direction. We are being ruled by Imperialists (Federalists in Jefferson's day) masquerading as Liberals who have hijacked the Democratic AND republican parties. These people want nothing more than power, money, and more privilege than the common man.
Now they are touring the world on my dime. I can hardly afford to take the family to Disneyland and these quacks are touring the world in private jets while eating beluga caviar and drinking the world's finest wine!
Nancy Pillosi said she would drain the swamp. It won't happen until we vote them all out and go back to the way it was - where I would vote for my local representative who would vote for our Senator, who would vote for the President, who would nominate judges.
The system is broken. We are in the same boat as Iran, except instead of having the Iatola decide who we can vote for, we have a corrupt two party system deciding it for us. - Pseudorious, on 07/02/2009, -4/+17Give each congressman a $200 amazon book account to "learn" about whatever they'd like and ban foreign travel.
The executive branch should be the only branch to travel abroad in any official capacity anyhow. - drazen77, on 07/02/2009, -4/+16I am with govsucks 100%
You'd think that this would be a self evident truth for 99% of the people in this world... sadly, it ain't so. - Spindig, on 07/02/2009, -2/+14Unfortunately true. The majority of Americans don't pay any attention to what is going on.
- Pseudorious, on 07/02/2009, -1/+11And who do you think will vote for this? Who will classify spending and lobbying?
- inactive, on 07/02/2009, -6/+16Americans need to start dragging the career politicians out into the streets and ....
....well you decide. - Pseudorious, on 07/02/2009, -1/+11I am rather attached to democracy, so maybe a more sober solution would be to vote them out.
I mean, most of them are up for election every two years. - BulkHedd, on 07/02/2009, -3/+12The believe it because it's true. We have given them the keys to the kingdom.
- mbelrose, on 07/03/2009, -1/+10This is not a partisan issue:
"In October, Rep. Bud Cramer (R., Ala.) spent two weeks in Europe on government business. Reports show that Mr. Cramer spent $5,700 on hotels, meals and incidentals."
None of the conservatives here want only Republicans to be able to get away with it, only the people who try to pretend this didn't exist before the Democrats took control. Their cheap shots just make the intelligent conservatives look bad. - inactive, on 07/02/2009, -4/+13No we won't. We'll ***** roll over like a bunch of medicated, sheep. This country is done. Over. You might as well get used to it.
- vinod1978, on 07/03/2009, -1/+10I don't mind paying for their trips to visit our troops in Iraq & Afghanistan - which some of these trips are for, but Jamaica & Virgin Islands? That's outright thievery. I wish I knew more of how this works. Doesn't someone has to approve each and every trip? Who the F is approving these expenses?
- zizzybaloobah, on 07/03/2009, -2/+10And yet people still send these clowns back to Capitol Hill every two years. I just don't get it.
- inactive, on 07/02/2009, -7/+14Yeah!!!! Another reason to revolt.
- nomarxist, on 07/02/2009, -7/+14SO what the travel expenses are up dramatically? Look at all the good that Obama, Pelosi, Clinton, Biden and others have done! Most of those countries that hated us, now.... Ooooppps! I have an idea lets give them all a one way ticket next time they feel the need to travel
- jwhitman89, on 07/03/2009, -1/+8Senators get these perks because they do a lot of ***** for our country. The problem is us. You see, senators used to get elected by the state legislature, which was made up of people we elected. That way we got competent senators who weren't worried about public opinion. Instead they worried about what their state wanted and doing their job.
Enter the 17th Amendment. Now we directly elect our senators so they have to worry about election cycles and all that *****. ***** DEMOCRACY we're a REPUBLIC. The state legislatures are supposed to provide a buffer between your dumbass neighbors and the ***** that really needs doing.
"The common man is a fool" - H.L. Mencken - AmnesiacJack, on 07/03/2009, -5/+12Why are they leaving the country any ways? Senators and governors are so the states have a voice to the federal government, not to foreign governments. They shouldn't be going any where outside of the country on taxpayer dollars.
- NMRgentleman, on 07/03/2009, -5/+11This is why people should be very, very careful to ever say "government is the answer." Even if you think you have a good idea for politicians to implement, you can bet that by the time they're finished they'll have money siphoned off it for themselves on the right, political favors for their friends and vote-getters attached on the left, some bribes to get the votes of other Congressman attached to the top, and - oh, they didn't manage to read the final bill before voting.
- pjr12345, on 07/02/2009, -3/+9I agree with your solution. Direct, popular vote for Senators and the President have taken the "local" out of government, eroded states' rights, and otherwise corrupted the system.
- zizzybaloobah, on 07/03/2009, -2/+8We already know they don't do that. Any 'independent thinking' candidate that gets elected from either party is immediately strong armed by their respective party to tow the line or essentially be treated as an outcast. This is most recently illustrated as Pelosi and her cronies strong armed wavering Dems to vote for the health care overhaul.
- dafragsta, on 07/03/2009, -4/+10See, that's the illusion of democracy. How do you vote one ***** out when another is running to take his place, in addition to leveraging the previous *****'s ***** in his campaign. Power corrupts people. End of story. We just have to hit a level of robotic production and renewable energy at which point wealth is no longer a separating force. Until then, politicians get elected on the pretense that they are helping the little guy, all the while helping themselves to the rockstar lifestyle and plastic prestige.
- geekee, on 07/03/2009, -2/+8This is a drop in the bucket compared to the new entitlements Obama has lined up. And once they're passed, it will be the third rail of politics to get rid of them. Watch I.O.U.S.A., a nonpartisan look at US debt before it really hit the fan.
http://iousathemovie.com - tgc1, on 07/03/2009, -3/+9You people getting pissed off yet? Are we ready to admit that perhaps the Governments of the world are not working for our cause? And perhaps all these "conspiracies" are in fact at least partially true?
- bigterguy, on 07/03/2009, -1/+6They do it because they CAN. And their constituents are so brainwashed that they keep voting them in anyway.
- inactive, on 07/02/2009, -6/+11Won't work. If you think we're still living in anything that closely resembles a "democracy" you need to think some more. I'm not being an *****, I am stating a fact.
After you ponder this so called democracy and get angry; send letters and emails to your reps asking them for this elusive change we have been electing them for. When you don't get the results you're hoping for, ask them for some cake. I'm sure Washington would be happy to send you a piece, along with a plate of crow. - paulvq, on 07/03/2009, -2/+7Obviously you didn't.
- gigi52, on 07/03/2009, -2/+7I want to be in Congress. I like vacations. no work, all play make me a happy girl.
- Branchex, on 07/03/2009, -2/+6Is there any legit reason why a cogressman would have to travel to anywhere but there home state and Washington? Diplomacy falls under the executive branch.
They go to Afganistan and Iraq to get the situation on the ground with guided tours but talking to military officials in Washington gives just as much info if not more. The whole reason to go is for PR reasons. Just like visiting certain countries is to win the votes of people with an ethnic connection in this country. - tgc1, on 07/03/2009, -3/+7They couldn't do it in the US because then they couldn't piss away all of our money and have an excuse next year to raise all of your taxes. Hell of a game they're playing isn't it?
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