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  • August 7, 2009 at 4:22 PM #16155
    macromaniac
    Participant

    Isn’t it ironic? Congress, which lambasted CEOs of financial and auto companies alike for taking private jets, now wants to upgrade its own fleet of aircraft.

    Congress plans to spend $550 million on eight new jets, The Wall Street Journal reported, to help make traveling easier for our elected officials. The planes would be an addition to the fleet of about two dozen passenger jets that the Air Force already maintains for lawmakers, administration officials and military chiefs to use on official trips in the U.S. and abroad, according to the report.
    Bing: Congressional fleet of jets
    The new jets will replace “seven aging and more-expensive business jets,” the House Appropriations Committee said, allowing members of Congress to travel in style.

    The 737s, which are known as C-40s by the military, are designed to be an “office in the sky” for government leaders, according to Air Force documents describing the plane: They have first-class leather seats, work tables, two large galleys for cooking and a “distinguished-visitor compartment with sleep accommodations.”

    A purchase of eight new jets would be more than what the Air Force had initially requested as part of its annual appropriations — one Gulfstream V and one business-class equivalent of a Boeing 737 to replace older planes. The Defense Department also requested two more 737s that were being leased.

    “We ask for what we need and only what we need,” Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters on Wednesday. “We’ve always frowned upon earmarks and additives that are above and beyond what we ask for.”

    Last year, House members spent about 3,000 days overseas on taxpayer-funded trips, up from about 550 in 1995, according to analysis by the Journal. They also spent about $13 million on their travels.

    Congressional committees typically have to approve travel plans, but once they give the green light, lawmakers can decide whether to fly commercial or request a plane from the Defense Department. If there are too many requests for military planes, the speaker of the House or the Senate majority leader decides who gets to go, according to the report.

    It’s time for the sheep to say no more…..no more….

    August 7, 2009 at 4:27 PM #442168
    macromaniac
    Participant

    When is enough enough? When will we awaken from our complacency and realize that these people are selling this country into debt slavery.

    The biggest lie is that they have the power. I always tell people that support their leaders that without them the leader never shows up. He is a leader because we support him.

    Its time to tear these people away from their posts and throw them out on the streets.

    August 7, 2009 at 4:27 PM #442364
    macromaniac
    Participant

    When is enough enough? When will we awaken from our complacency and realize that these people are selling this country into debt slavery.

    The biggest lie is that they have the power. I always tell people that support their leaders that without them the leader never shows up. He is a leader because we support him.

    Its time to tear these people away from their posts and throw them out on the streets.

    August 7, 2009 at 4:27 PM #442947
    macromaniac
    Participant

    When is enough enough? When will we awaken from our complacency and realize that these people are selling this country into debt slavery.

    The biggest lie is that they have the power. I always tell people that support their leaders that without them the leader never shows up. He is a leader because we support him.

    Its time to tear these people away from their posts and throw them out on the streets.

    August 7, 2009 at 4:27 PM #442700
    macromaniac
    Participant

    When is enough enough? When will we awaken from our complacency and realize that these people are selling this country into debt slavery.

    The biggest lie is that they have the power. I always tell people that support their leaders that without them the leader never shows up. He is a leader because we support him.

    Its time to tear these people away from their posts and throw them out on the streets.

    August 7, 2009 at 4:27 PM #442770
    macromaniac
    Participant

    When is enough enough? When will we awaken from our complacency and realize that these people are selling this country into debt slavery.

    The biggest lie is that they have the power. I always tell people that support their leaders that without them the leader never shows up. He is a leader because we support him.

    Its time to tear these people away from their posts and throw them out on the streets.

    August 7, 2009 at 6:50 PM #442228
    patientrenter
    Participant

    Congress has approved, explicitly or implicitly, spending of trillions of dollars in the last 2 years to boost home prices. Yes, this several hundred million dollar for planes for Congress is offensive, but the real offense is in Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and Chuck Schumer continuing to give the nod to trillions of taxpayer dollars being put at risk to support uneconomically high home prices.

    August 7, 2009 at 6:50 PM #442424
    patientrenter
    Participant

    Congress has approved, explicitly or implicitly, spending of trillions of dollars in the last 2 years to boost home prices. Yes, this several hundred million dollar for planes for Congress is offensive, but the real offense is in Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and Chuck Schumer continuing to give the nod to trillions of taxpayer dollars being put at risk to support uneconomically high home prices.

    August 7, 2009 at 6:50 PM #443007
    patientrenter
    Participant

    Congress has approved, explicitly or implicitly, spending of trillions of dollars in the last 2 years to boost home prices. Yes, this several hundred million dollar for planes for Congress is offensive, but the real offense is in Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and Chuck Schumer continuing to give the nod to trillions of taxpayer dollars being put at risk to support uneconomically high home prices.

    August 7, 2009 at 6:50 PM #442830
    patientrenter
    Participant

    Congress has approved, explicitly or implicitly, spending of trillions of dollars in the last 2 years to boost home prices. Yes, this several hundred million dollar for planes for Congress is offensive, but the real offense is in Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and Chuck Schumer continuing to give the nod to trillions of taxpayer dollars being put at risk to support uneconomically high home prices.

    August 7, 2009 at 6:50 PM #442760
    patientrenter
    Participant

    Congress has approved, explicitly or implicitly, spending of trillions of dollars in the last 2 years to boost home prices. Yes, this several hundred million dollar for planes for Congress is offensive, but the real offense is in Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and Chuck Schumer continuing to give the nod to trillions of taxpayer dollars being put at risk to support uneconomically high home prices.

    August 7, 2009 at 9:39 PM #442890
    UCGal
    Participant

    Just for the record… It was a Florida Republican who added the funding. Dem’s are objecting.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124969431303416161.html

    Some lawmakers say they often know more about what the military needs than the executive branch does.

    “The Pentagon is not the fountain of all knowledge,” said Rep. Bill Young, a Florida Republican who was senior appropriator on the House floor last month when the Pentagon spending bill was approved. “They don’t have all of the knowledge, and they don’t have all of the wisdom. Neither does the administration, neither does the Congress. That’s why we work together.”

    (He seems to be trying to expand on Murtha’s earmarking prowess.)

    August 7, 2009 at 9:39 PM #443067
    UCGal
    Participant

    Just for the record… It was a Florida Republican who added the funding. Dem’s are objecting.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124969431303416161.html

    Some lawmakers say they often know more about what the military needs than the executive branch does.

    “The Pentagon is not the fountain of all knowledge,” said Rep. Bill Young, a Florida Republican who was senior appropriator on the House floor last month when the Pentagon spending bill was approved. “They don’t have all of the knowledge, and they don’t have all of the wisdom. Neither does the administration, neither does the Congress. That’s why we work together.”

    (He seems to be trying to expand on Murtha’s earmarking prowess.)

    August 7, 2009 at 9:39 PM #442821
    UCGal
    Participant

    Just for the record… It was a Florida Republican who added the funding. Dem’s are objecting.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124969431303416161.html

    Some lawmakers say they often know more about what the military needs than the executive branch does.

    “The Pentagon is not the fountain of all knowledge,” said Rep. Bill Young, a Florida Republican who was senior appropriator on the House floor last month when the Pentagon spending bill was approved. “They don’t have all of the knowledge, and they don’t have all of the wisdom. Neither does the administration, neither does the Congress. That’s why we work together.”

    (He seems to be trying to expand on Murtha’s earmarking prowess.)

    August 7, 2009 at 9:39 PM #442288
    UCGal
    Participant

    Just for the record… It was a Florida Republican who added the funding. Dem’s are objecting.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124969431303416161.html

    Some lawmakers say they often know more about what the military needs than the executive branch does.

    “The Pentagon is not the fountain of all knowledge,” said Rep. Bill Young, a Florida Republican who was senior appropriator on the House floor last month when the Pentagon spending bill was approved. “They don’t have all of the knowledge, and they don’t have all of the wisdom. Neither does the administration, neither does the Congress. That’s why we work together.”

    (He seems to be trying to expand on Murtha’s earmarking prowess.)

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