Despite the recent outcry over the massive increase in travel by members, these thinly disguised publicly paid vacations have not only continued but the House of Representatives has now approved nearly $200 million for the Air Force to buy elite Gulfstream jets to add comfort to their travels. Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been singled out for much criticism in the increase of such vacations, but appears so unconcerned that the Democrats are pushing through an expansion of the fleet for the members to enjoy at public expense.
The Air Force asked for one Gulfstream 550 jet ($65 million) as part of an ongoing upgrade of its passenger air service, but the House expanded the number to be sure to cover any future travel demands for members.
The company’s literature bills the Gulfstream G550 as a luxury business jet, “with exceptional comfort [and] . . . features up to four distinct living areas, three temperature zones, a choice of 12 floor plan configurations with seating for up to 18 passengers.” They have everything that our leaders might need, except of course a modicum of shame.
Nothing but the best for our public servants. With millions out of work, record federal deficits, increasing taxes, and a trashed economy, one can understand why members would want to get away from it all. Of course, as the public officials bearing much responsibility for these woes, these junkets are particularly outrageous for average citizens. I have long argued for a virtual shutdown of such publicly funded travel for members. At one time, lobbyists and corporate interests would take the members on these vacations (under claims of “fact-finding missions” or educational trips). With that loophole closed, members simply shifted the cost to the taxpayers rather than pay for their own vacations.
It is a measure of how blind the voters have become to corruption that the Democrats have no fear whatsoever in pushing for such appropriations. Members have succeeded in convincing voters that no matter how corrupt or hypocritical they may be, voters cannot risk losing a given seat to the opposing party. As a result, members can fly to Europe on glorified shopping trips with little fear of repercussions at the polls.
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Let’s start be prohibiting any family members from traveling on these trips. Period. No option for the Congressperson to pay for the family member. Nada.
Perhaps spouses will not find the foreign travel options so exciting. It’s one thing to go along for the ride; it’s quite another to sanction a stag run for your partner,
GWLSMom,
It’s a deal.
Buddha writes: Sure, I’m game for that too, but I still think the catapults have a much more entertaining finish. The thought of Mitch McConnell skipping across the Atlantic like a flat rock makes me giggle. But picturing him on the bus has it’s own distinct charms. Especially a late night or muti-day run. Preferably a bus full of grumpy babies and even grumpier biker mom’s and their “old men” bikers in transit back home after their latest turn in the clink. lol yeah. That’d get ol’ Mitch pretty twisted up. He would be sweating in buckets.
me: see? this is what political cooperation looks like. you want catapults. I propose greyhound busses. why not split the middle? Greyhound for US travel and catapults for overseas?
Best of both worlds.