[Miztiki]

Thanks for the old thread link.

As for the caucus question, on whose dime are they “initiating community, state, and national efforts to combat the growth of child abduction and exploitation throughout the country”...?

Do they do that in their spare time at eachothers houses? Or are they using phones and paper and transportation that was bought and paid for by taxpayers?

If the former then great, maybe I’ll stop by for coffee and join them in their efforts.

If the latter, then why? Lampson represents my district and introduced this caucus. He has no constitutional right to do such things and if that’s in fact the case, then I’d like to know.

I used to be 100% politically ignorant and in the past would have supported such a noble cause. Times are a changin’ though, and now that I know what the purpose of our Federal government is supposed to be, I want to learn as much as I reasonably can, and in the process share that with those who don’t know any better right now.

(Hence the purpose of this thread. Quite frankly, I’m too disabled to be an activist in any other way.)

[philman_36]

The following is my opinion...
...on whose dime...
Apparently the public's dime since they consider it to be part of their job to work with special interest groups/constiuents to enact special legislation/programs.
Do they do that in their spare time at each others houses?
Damn, you're funny!
Or are they using phones and paper and transportation that was bought and paid for by taxpayers?
I would venture that since they consider it to be part of their job the answer is obvious...taxpayer paid.
If the latter, then why?
Campaign contributions/votes, though they'll mouth platitudes about it benefitting the public good/society in some manner.
And then again, I could be wrong.

[philman_36]

Congressional Caucuses Help Draw Attention to Specific Issues
In the 21st century, each major political party holds regular House and Senate caucuses for discussions of party goals, strategies and views on legislation. At the meetings held at the beginning of a new Congress, members vote for their party leaders and committee chairs. Leaders may encourage, but cannot require, caucus participants to vote a certain way on an issue. Once a congressional term is under way, caucuses focus on designing and implementing legislative strategy.
Sounds like it's on the public dime to me.

[philman_36]

From the same link...
Caucuses are not publicly funded. In the past, some had collected dues from their members that helped them operate and hire staff, but a 1995 law prohibited members from paying dues out of their office accounts, a step that forced most caucuses to stop employing staff of their owns. Today, many caucuses receive administrative support from members' personal staffs. Other caucuses have recruited outside partners to handle certain operations.