Posted on 08/05/2009 6:40:42 AM PDT by Timeout
"Last year, lawmakers excoriated the CEOs of the Big Three automakers for traveling to Washington, D.C., by private jet to attend a hearing about a possible bailout of their companies," Roll Call reports.
"But apparently Congress is not philosophically averse to private air travel: At the end of July, the House approved nearly $200 million for the Air Force to buy three elite Gulfstream jets for ferrying top government officials and Members of Congress."
The Air Force had asked for one jet as part of an upgrade program, but the House Appropriations Committee added two more at its own discretion.
Can we get the vote on that one? I pray Republicans did not vote for this, although my gut tells me they did.
Is there any doubt now that we do not have a representative form of government..we have an elite ruling class that does whatever the hell they want?
SHOW UP IN WASHINGTON D.C. ON SEPTEMBER 12th AND TELL THEM ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
Cap ‘n Trade, Global Warming, Carbon footprints, Their own private ultraluxe healthcare while we get (and pay for) socialized medicine. With the Pelosi/Obama/Kennedy gang, its “Better do as I say because I won’t be doing ANY of it”.
That’s really not fair to Republicans.
The planes were included in a Defense spending bill.
Samuel Adams
Well, isn’t this special.
Spending America into oblivion, enslaving the nation with debt so large it can never be repaid.
Meanwhile, the dictators in WDC expect to live in the lap of luxury.
We get the bills.
Tar. Feathers. Fence Rail.
Get Nancy a bicycle.
Get Nancy a bicycle.
Think 2010 folks.........get that woman and her minions OUT of there!
The Soviet Union had an elite too. They had special privileges, and were paid in real money. They didn’t have to follow the same rules as the ordinary people.
Crewing and maintaining them will cost many times over the price of the jets. Pelosi must be planning on making a lot of trips that they need 3 of them. I hope somebody keeps track of who flys on these jets, how much time is put on them, and how much they cost to operate.
Remember when she first became Speaker she said she needed her own B-757 because a Gulfstream couldn't fly across the US back to CA without stopping for fuel. That is pure BS. They easily can cross the US without a fuel stop.
I'm surprised that big spender Pelosi didn't order some Airbus 380s instead of little ol' Gulfstreams.
“Get Nancy a bicycle.”
I don’t think she would give up her broom stick for a bike...
“....Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.) had submitted a request to the Appropriations Committee for a $70 million earmark for one airplane on behalf of Georgia-based Gulfstream, and Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) lists the airplane as one of the earmarks that he was asked to request, though his office said he never made the request to the Appropriations Committee.
“The committee saw fit to fund it at that level” without Kingston’s involvement, his spokesman said.
Bishop’s office did not return several calls requesting comment for this story.
Air Force spokesman Vincent King told Roll Call: “This line item provides funding to purchase C-37 aircraft. The C-37 is the military variant of the commercial Gulfstream 550 executive jet. C-37s provide executive airlift for senior U.S. government officials including Congress and combatant commanders.” ....”
“.....“The more that you push for transparency, the more of this stuff goes underneath the carpet,” Ellis said. While Congress has established new rules requiring greater transparency for earmarks, the Appropriations Committee is “the judge, jury and executioner over what is an earmark and what isn’t and how much information we get.” ....”
No doubt about it. The government is OUT OF CONTROL.
Make the assholes ride the train or take a bus. If the enviroment is in such ‘grave’ danger, as these morons claim, they shouldn’t have any objections.
they should all be required to travel on AMTRAK
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