Flights of Fancy [Private jet hypocrites]

The New Republic on line ^ | August 2, 2004 | by Gregg Easterbrook

[aculeus]

In Washington the hand-wringing continues about the various security breakdowns that, on the day before Ronald Reagan's funeral, caused the Capitol to be evacuated when the approach of a private plane bearing Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher was mistaken for a terrorist attack. Surely it is unsettling that after three years of security improvements at almost unlimited expense, confusion reigned regarding who was responsible as Fletcher's plane droned toward the center of D.C. and was briefly believed to be doing just what the 9/11 attackers had done. But set the anti-terrorism snafus aside and ask the question that has so far gone unasked: Why did the governor of Kentucky need to travel in a taxpayer-funded private plane?

An unreported scandal is the extent to which contemporary politicians increasingly zoom around in taxpayer-funded private planes, having an entire aircraft to themselves at an expense that is pure government waste, rather than simply flying aboard commercial airliners. For years it's been hard to get statistics on exactly how many politicians are riding their own special planes. But since September 11, any "general aviation" (non-commercial, non-military) aircraft wishing to land at Washington's Reagan National Airport has required a special waiver to do so. At a hearing last month, the Aviation Subcommittee of the House Transportation Committee reported that since September 11 restrictions were imposed, 244 waivers have been granted to politicians arriving at Washington in personal aircraft. And this is just politicians: It doesn't count the number of cabinet secretaries and Defense Department officials who zoom around in federal-government supplied individual jets that operate from Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, rather than simply flying commercial.

[aculeus]

Laurie David, wife of Larry David--among Hollywood's wealth elite owing to "Seinfeld" royalties--has become an influential environmental crusader, but herself travels in chartered Gulfstream jets.

[eno_]

Anyone NOT a cabinet secretary should be flying commercial. This would both improve security and improve the performance of the TSA knowing they might be wanding someone who can actually get them fired.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

I once worked for John Deere and enjoyed the company's jet fleet while shuttling from Madison, Wisconsin to Des Moines, IA and Moline IL. On one circuit from Des Moines back to Madison I was the only passenger on a Citation III. 

I fancied myself starring in an "I can make YOU a Millionaire in No Money Down Real Estate!" infomercial, stepping off my private jet and into a waiting Bentley.

For about 3 microseconds.

[Hank Rearden]

Anyone NOT a cabinet secretary should be flying commercial.

Nonsense. Put them all on commercial flights, including cabinet tax-suckers. They don't own us.

[eno_]

I live near a very minor and partialy shot down Army base. I heard Lear Jet traffic into and out of the airfield on base waaaay too often to be reasonable and justified. The whole Homelame Security thing has degenerated into a massive gravy train for government poltroons.

[eno_]

Shut down, that is.

[Hank Rearden]

The whole Homelame Security thing has degenerated into a massive gravy train for government poltroons.

There's a shock, huh? And it's never going away and they're never going to get off our backs and out of our wallets.

At least, not until American Revolution 2.0.

[Big Giant Head]

I once worked for John Deere

Ooooh, I've seen their Gulfstream at KOTM up close. Coool.

[LibertarianInExile]

But...but...they're supposed to be making us safer and more secure from terrorism! I'm SHOCKED, SHOCKED, I tell you!

And if you didn't catch any sarcasm there, you should consider voting Nader.