Congress's Travel Tab Swells (up 50% since Dems took over Congress!)

Wall Street Journal ^ | 7-2-09 | BRODY MULLINS and T.W. FARNAM

[Justaham]

WASHINGTON -- Spending by lawmakers on taxpayer-financed trips abroad has risen sharply in recent years, a Wall Street Journal analysis of travel records shows, involving everything from war-zone visits to trips to exotic spots such as the Galápagos Islands.

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.

The cost of so-called congressional delegations, known among lawmakers as "codels," has risen nearly 70% since 2005, when an influence-peddling scandal led to a ban on travel funded by lobbyists, according to the data.

[Justaham]

I mean “Congress”, not “Congres”.

[I Hate Obama]

They don’t deserve two s’s unless you are referring to Hitler’s SS.

[cripplecreek]

CongreSS

[paul51]

more living well on the taxpayers money.
i can’t imagine how even 5% of this could be justified,

[Justaham]

Didn’t you read post #2?

[Natural Law]

This is like the teenagers you had house sit while you are on vacation found your ATM card and the keys to the liquor cabinet.

[Diogenesis]

"WELCOME TO THE REAL AMERICA WHERE CRIMINALS GET TO BE
CELEBRITIES AND CELEBRITIES GET AWAY WITH MURDER."
"TO DIE FOR" Columbia Pictures

All animals are equal, but those with relatives in the US Congress,
are much more equal than others.

[Sir Clancelot]

Economy’s in the tank, unemployment is up, I cancelled my European vacation this summer, but please Congress, by all means, raise my taxes, take my healthcare and have some fun travelling around the world on my dime.

[bert]

great post!!

[chiefqc]

The only ones who can clean up the mess in Washington are informed and concerned voters.

[Huskrrrr]

I for one would be willing to pick up the tab for any Congressman who wanted to take an extended....very extended vacation. It costs less for the American taxpayer than when they're working.

[freekitty]

Maybe, if we are lucky, those travel destinations will keep them.

[HighlyOpinionated]

REPEAL the 17th Amendment and reinstate Article 1 Section 3 of the Constitution.

Congress is supposed to be an UNPAID part time Volunteer position.

Maybe the only way to bring the USofA back to its roots is a coup. How else to remove EVERYONE in the Federal Government and replace them according to the US Constitution?

[TruthConquers]

Maybe they are scouting out “safe havens” somewhere else for when TSHTF!!!

Don’t want to be stuck here with the angry mobs.

Traitors.

[softengine]

Maybe the only way to bring the USofA back to its roots is a coup. How else to remove EVERYONE in the Federal Government and replace them according to the US Constitution?

I am beginning to think in those terms too. What do we need to do to get more on this bandwagon?

[mojitojoe]

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.
______________________
PIGS!!!!!!!!!! ALL OF THEM!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep sending those tax dollars in so they can travel at our expense. This sh*t is out of control. Maybe I just won’t pay my estimated this quarter, or next quarter or the next and tell them to KMA.

[Squantos]

BTTT !

[Nachum]

Thanks for the heads up. Not sure how to tie this to Obama- yet.

[Tzimisce]

Pay your taxes (someone needs too.) *smile*

[Redcloak]

Oh good... Someone posted this story. Now I can complain about the Wall Street Journal's inability to properly spell the possessive form of the word "Congress".

</tangent>

[Squantos]

We flush congress with info like this Obama is tied .......:o)

Stay safe and as always I am grateful for yer collection of information.

[Nachum]

I am thinking of putting something together after one year as a form of compilation. I want it ready and available just as things heat up for the mid-term elections.

[denydenydeny]

A valuable story. One of the best narrarives the GOP had in 1994 was the House check-bouncing scandal. It was successful because it was easily relatable to voters.

Hopefully this one will have the same kind of resonance.

[Brad's Gramma]

You Know The Drill
Click the Pic

Do Not Resist!

Donate To FR!

Now!

You Know The Drill
Click the Pic

Do Not Resist!

Donate To FR!

Now!

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Some pigs are more equal than others.

[Danae]

Ok that’s about enough of that crap.

Congress is a National Body confined to the the US, the President (barf) is the representative overseas.

Nancy can just park her fat ass in San Fran. Damn, she actually makes Cindy Sheehan look like a better alternative.

[Danae]

I am more than starting to lean your way my FRiend.

[Scheneida]

I wish there were a breakdown of expenses by Democrats vs. Republicans.

[sheana]

They are called......Gypsies in the Palace. ;)

[AFPhys]

I never found the credit card, but did find the liquor cabinet...

[wastedyears]

House check-bouncing scandal?

[denydenydeny]

This one.

[HoosierHawk]

And John Conyers is still "serving the people" as a member of the United States House of Representatives.

Unfrickin' believable.

This government is so corrupt, I'm waiting for Piglosi to announce that we'll all have to eat cake.

[SunkenCiv]

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. The cost of so-called congressional delegations, known among lawmakers as "codels," has risen nearly 70% since 2005, when an influence-peddling scandal led to a ban on travel funded by lobbyists, according to the data.

[reader25]

Seems to be a recession for everyone but Congress. If they get low on funds they just raise taxes, print more money and let our children and grand children pay. Gives a new meaning to pay it forward.

[frankiep]

Agreed. I honestly believe that this country is beyond repair. I mean, where would you even begin to sort out and clean up the scum infested cesspool that is every level of government in this country?

[napscoordinator]

All of our travel costs have gone up a lot! It is amazing how they are nickle and dimming us to death in the airlines. The hotels, rental cars and other travel destinations are going through the roof too. It is a shame that people can't vacation anymore without taking a second mortgage out to help pay for it (last sentence exaggerated but you get my point).

[ScottinVA]

Perhaps Congre$$... or sometimes, when they’re feeling “randy,” then CongreXXX.

[ScottinVA]

“I’m waiting for Piglosi to announce that we’ll all have to eat cake.”

Let her — she, like Marie Antoinette before her, won’t like what comes afterward.

[popdonnelly]

The present U.S. Congress is a disgrace. We should spend the Fourth of July mourning the state of that institution.

[Typical_Whitey]

Everybody elese in the USA cuts back and Congress goes on a binge....

Its way past time to hold these idiots accountable. Shameful Democrats won’t hold their own to account. Only Conservatives hold Republicans accountable and then we get a worse and worse government.

[eleni121]

Well done!!! Again.

[cranked]

As with proof of their current spending via Barry and compnay, whoever assumed that Dems were fiscally responsible? =.=

[lakeman]

They gotta pass the bucks around to repair our standing in the world./sarc

[HighlyOpinionated]

What do we need to do to get more on this bandwagon?

I'm thinking that it's going to HAVE to start within the Military, because only a high ranking officer could gain access to the White House and have his troops take over Congress and the Supreme Court covertly and coordinatedly with the high ranking Military officer.

You know, just a bunch of ordinary men wearing their 'huntin' pants and vests/jackets milling around outside the buildings and at the given nano-second (that's Military talk for 'time')(LOL, joke), it all comes together, in front of cameras. Storm Congress and disable all the guards and the metal detectors. Get to the front with the guns before anyone realizes what's going on. Hold a few Congridiots "hostage" . . . Wait for the call from the high ranking officer. Judiciary the same way, hold all the Justices . . . in fact, have them sit down and supply the answers to a quiz on the Constitution. That would dibilitate them.

Cabinet members will be harder to capture, probably, but within the WH, because the military officer is there, so should SOME of the Cabinet officers, Rahm Emanuel, et.

Military Officer advises all Military to follow him (on tv) and explains what he's doing. Tells Zer0 to tell world where he was born. Then declares States will have a new election for President and every thing spent and signed into law by Zer0 is null and void . . . and all the money has to be returned.

THE ONLY (only???) problem is that some idiot would start shooting and we'd be in an all out war. A real one.

[RetiredArmy]

It's only our, I mean it is their money, they can spend it any way they want too can't they? /sever sarcasm still on

[the OlLine Rebel]

The problem ultimately lies with “US” - “the People”.

We have so many scumbags in society, and clueless selfish leeches, that it’s inevitable we end up with socialism when they can vote it in (i.e., what looks like more money for them doing nothing).

[the OlLine Rebel]

The military is a dangerous way to go. They’d have all the weapons at easy access and could arrange it so they have all the power. Don’t think there aren’t “ambitious” selfish people in the military, including its ranking members. Most military coups are disasters for the people.

Better to go down like the “Revolution”. George kept the military from marching on Congress.