Politicians are well-known for wasting our money so they can live very comfortably. While many of us are outraged over such lavish waste, libs tend to forgive the behavior (unless a Republican does it). However, using the taxpayer’s dime to reap such rewards is one thing … taking money from our troops so you can pound shots with your buddies is another thing altogether.
When members of Congress travel overseas at the expense of the Department of Defense, they are treated to thousands of dollars worth of alcohol and other amenities. A review by The Wall Street Journal of congressional disclosure documents for 43 trips found that expenditures averaged $4,300 per trip—and that’s just what has been reported. Lawmakers are required to declare what they spend on travel but not what others like the Pentagon do on Congress’ behalf.
In March 2008, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and nine other lawmakers traveled to England, India and Spain. Their flight included $438.75 worth of alcohol, including three cases of beer, 15 bottles of wine, three bottles of vodka, Crown Royal, Dewar’s and other liquor, plus another $750 worth of chips, cakes and other snacks—all of which were paid for by the U.S. Air Force.
A junket taken by Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) to Africa in December 2008 included $3,360 in “emergency requests” paid for by the military. Some of Inhofe’s party went to a Wal-Mart and bought $130 worth of cookies, mints and other munchies for the trip. They also spent $250 at Total Wine & More.
Joel Johnson, a defense-industry analyst with the Teal Group Corporation and former staffer for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the military-funded trips help provide a “bonding” experience between lawmakers and Pentagon officials which “is helpful for the military when they are seeking particular things in appropriations or authorizations.”
-Noel Brinkerhoff
When will my congressional representatives go on a “bonding” trip with me, or any of their other constituents?
Weekly Standard reporter John McCormack has made a lot of news lately. He’s alleged that he was ‘roughed up’ by a henchman from Democrat Martha Coakley’s camp. Coakley is currently the Attorney General in Massachusetts, and is running for the vacant US Senate seat.
That supposed henchman is Michael Meehan, a campaign volunteer. He has flatly denied pushing McCormack.
That is very interesting given that he’s issued an apology, and is claiming that he’s attempted to reach McCormack several times to ‘apologize for his part’ in the fall.
Why would you say you had any part in someone falling if you have already denied pushing the man?
Where the story gets really interesting is the AP’s story clearly states that McCormack tripped, and was not pushed.
So who’s telling the truth?
I don’t really know, and there may some truth to both statements. However, so far McCormack’s story seems more solid given that Meehan is admittedly making great effort to apologize for something he says he didn’t do.
The US Senate has advanced the health care bill as expected. All it took was corruption and bribery to get the votes. And to think, a few of you out there actually thought your rights weren’t for sale.
The Democratic Party’s decades-long push to remake the U.S. health care system cleared a major hurdle early Monday morning, with the Senate voting to advance a massive $871 billion bill to extend coverage to nearly all Americans and tighten regulations on private insurers.
Less than two days after releasing a bill with 383 pages of changes, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) corralled his politically diverse caucus and delivered the 60 votes necessary for the most crucial test vote in the legislative process so far — effectively assuring the reform package will clear the Senate later this week.
The final tally was a straight party-line vote, 60-40. All Democrats and two independents voted yes and all Republicans voted no – and each side bitterly accused the other of trying to thwart true reform through petty gamesmanship.
DC is still looking for one Democrat who’s actually read the bill.
The Senate Armed Services Committee postponed its Monday briefing on the deadly Fort Hood massacre at the behest of the White House, despite calls from some lawmakers to press forward with a congressional investigation into the shooting rampage that killed 13 and wounded 29.
There’s no need to delay it for evidence gathering purposes. I’ll be following this for you.
Further proof that the Republicans who were ok with nominating someone with this guy’s views, and then were ok with that candidate dropping out to endorse this guy, need to be removed.
Bill Owens won the recent election in NY by lying to his constituents, and saying he would not support Pelosicare. It took just one hour to break four of his promises.
The Democrats have sunk to a new low. It took months for the country to finally realize that Democrats weren’t going to fulfill any of their platform promises when they took over Congress beyond minimum wage. However, Owens has raised the bar by admitting he lied just an hour after being sworn in.
Owens indicated in a press release that he was now in favor of the bill in direct contrast to his earlier position during his campaign.
During his campaign for Congress, Mr. Owens assured voters that he felt the public option had no place in the health care reform bill. Contrary to that position, Mr. Owens now indicates that he intends to vote in favor of the bill even though it now contains a public option.
Buried in the thousands of pages of the health care bills drafted by Democrats in the House and Senate is a provision to protect insurance companies from legal accountability for benefit decisions that cause injury or death to patients, Republicans warned on Wednesday.
“You can sue your doctor for malpractice if he makes a mistake practicing medicine, but you cannot sue your insurance company when it makes a medical decision,” Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) said at the press conference near the steps of the Capitol. “That’s just wrong.”
Not even Obama’s most staunch supporters could defend his actions here. This is the most inappropriate behavior I’ve ever seen by a Commander-In-Chief in issuing a press conference about several dozen members of the military being killed or wounded.
I’ve seen some put the blame on his advisers, but any mature adult would have realized giving shout outs, and lighthearted comments about an unrelated issue before speaking about an attack on a US military installation is completely inappropriate.
After news broke out of the shooting at the Fort HoodThe White House Army post in Texas, the nation watched in horror as the toll of dead and injured climbed. was notified immediately and by late afternoon, word went out that the president would speak about the incident prior to a previously scheduled appearance. At about 5 p.m., cable stations went to the president. The situation called for not only his trademark eloquence, but also grace and perspective.
But instead of a somber chief executive offering reassuring words and expressions of sympathy and compassion, viewers saw a wildly disconnected and inappropriately light president making introductory remarks. At the event, a Tribal Nations Conference hosted by the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian affairs, the president thanked various staffers and offered a “shout-out” to “Dr. Joe Medicine Crow — that Congressional Medal of Honor winner.” Three minutes in, the president spoke about the shooting, in measured and appropriate terms. Who is advising him?
The White House has issued a statement that this story is incorrect. China’s flag will not be hoisted on the White House lawn, but will instead be hoisted across the street.
Unfortunately, the White House waited almost a week to respond to the story. Had they acted sooner they would have been able to prevent the justifiable outrage.
The report set off howls of protest on the internet and among conservative talk show hosts, who failed to get confirmation from the White House before airing their complaints.
Again, it was the White House who didn’t respond to the news report. The notion that bloggers or conservative talk show host could have contacted the White House for confirmation is laughable at best.
Stunned, shocked, in disbelief … all things you would have been if this were to happen under most of America’s presidents, but not this one.
Imagine the White House lawn flying China’s flag. Not because of an invasion, not because it is flying with the flags of several nations for some major event. No, the White House will fly China’s flag to celebrate 60 years of communism.
The national flag of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) will be hoisted at the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on September 20, media reported Sunday.
Chinese associations in the United States had applied to hold a ceremony in front of the US President’s residence to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of PRC.
Chen Ronghua, chairman of Fujian Association of the United States, told reporters that their application was approved not only because of the sound Sino-US relations but also because China is a responsible country.
“Many Americans admire China due to the success of last year’s Beijing Olympics,” said Chen.
If that’s true that Americans admire China simply because they pulled off the Olympics while effectively hiding anything embarrassing … we have regressed as a society.
China is a responsible country eh? Tell that to the Hans, and the tens of thousands of protests China’s government is dealing with every year.
By nightfall authorities had cordoned off the city center, blocking intersections with patrol cars, and disconnected mobile phone text messaging services. Paramilitary police with shields, sticks and submachine guns sealed off People’s Square, where demonstrators had shouted down politicians. About 100 green trucks parked on the plaza.
The resort to mass demonstrations to air grievances is likely to further unnerve the Chinese leadership — already grappling with tens of thousands of increasingly large and violent protests every year — just as it prepares for a nationwide celebration of 60 years of communist rule on Oct. 1.
The fact that the United States capital will be flying a foreign flag to celebrate communism is flat out sickening to any true American. Yes, I just said that. The fact that they’ll be doing it at the same time our president and congress are trying to implement some of the communist values to be celebrated at the White House is just damn demoralizing.
Ted Kennedy reported just passed away a few minutes ago.
Sen. Edward Moore Kennedy, the youngest Kennedy brother who was left to head the family’s political dynasty after his brothers President John F. Kennedy and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated, has died at age 77.
Known as the “liberal lion of the Senate,” Kennedy championed health care reform, working wages and equal rights in his storied career.
Posted in Democrats | Tagged: Ted Kennedy | Comments Off on Breaking: Ted Kennedy Dead
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