Dems Junkets on the taxpayer dime?

Originally Posted by richlevy

If Pelosi or any member of Congress worked a full schedule and didn't spend most of their time touring the wine country, that's fine. I wonder if their itineraries are public by law or by choice.

I think the intineraries are not made public in advance for security reasons.

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

I guess you have not heard much about the latest Pelosi trip.

I dont have a problem with Pelosi meeting the Pope, then traveling on to the meet with the US military leaders at NATO, then on to Afghanistan to meet with Pres. Karzai. I wouldnt have a problem if the Republican leader did the same thing.

Sounds like a busy week of state business. Why would you want to change that?

Particularly with stricter and more transparent travel reporting requirements in place.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Redux

I guess you havent read the Ethics/Lobbying/Gift Reform rules that the Democrats put in place.

But of course, I dont expect you to acknowledge that "change"...it goes everything you stand for.

None of that changes the facts surrounding her 'junket' as she preaches fiscal responsiblity.

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

None of that changes the facts surrounding her 'junket' as she preaches fiscal responsiblity.

The facts are that she met with the heads of state of foreign nations and US military leaders.

I dont see any reason to abandon those trips because some partisan republican hacks are whining about fiscal responsibility.

Foreign policy oversight is also a responsibility of Congress.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Redux

The facts are that she met with the heads of state of foreign nations and US military leaders.

Fact is she was on a tax-payer funded junket to visit the land of her ancestors, be lavished with dinners, framed birth certificates of her grandparents, visit museums, and the other visits with the pope were a minor part of the trip. Why Italy? Why not Germany? Or Pakistan? It is because of her heritage. It was nothing more than a taxpayer vacation. She does not and cannot set National Policy on our relationships with Italy. Keep making excuses for her.

Its pointless to discuss it with you.

The facts speak for themselves and others here can make their own judgments.

We know where you stand....thanks for your opinion!

[TheMercenary]

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Shortly after passing the Reinvestment and Recovery Act and shortly after making this statement about struggling Americans...

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: The American people are feeling a great deal of pain.

GRIFFIN: Speaker Nancy Pelosi and seven fellow Democrats in the House boarded a military charter like this government-owned Boeing 737 executive jet and flew off to Italy. Why in a time of economic crisis would the speaker, who happens to be of Italian heritage travel to Italy?

The United States has no greater ally in NATO than Italy, the speaker said in a statement, "which is why the delegation looks forward to meeting with President Giorgio Napolitano" and other Italian government officials. She also has been going to museums in Florence, receptions at night, and was even presented with the birth certificates of her grandparents by the head of the Italian Chamber of Deputies.

PELOSI: Surprised me with a birth certificate of my grandfather and my great grandmother.

GRIFFIN: Wednesday, Speaker Pelosi, a Roman Catholic, and her husband Paul, also on the trip, had a private audience with the Pope. Her office would not release the entire Italian itinerary of the all- Democratic delegation due to security reasons. So what's the cost of her Italian trip to the taxpayers back home?

We won't know yet. Congress gives its traveling members several weeks to file their expenses, to tell us what hotels they stayed in, to tell us who took their spouses or staff. But the government-owned Boeing executive jet doesn't fly cheap. About $10,000 an hour according to the Air Force, 20 hours flying between Washington and Italy adds up to about $200,000.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIP...19/ldt.01.html

[TheMercenary]

That is interesting news to the president of the U.S. Travel Association. For weeks now, Congress has chastised banks and bailout recipients for unnecessary trips and conferences. And Roger Dow says that has hurt the travel industry.

ROGER DOW, U.S. TRAVEL ASSOCIATION: By demonizing or by sensationalizing travel, all you're doing is you're not hurting the businessman. You're hurting the bellman, the maid, the town that counts on that travel for taxes.

GRIFFIN: He hopes Congress maybe after these trips will recognize the value for doing business. Right now there's a congressional delegation in Gaza, another in Brussels and Paris. And CNN caught this group of House members on their way to India last Friday to mark the 50th anniversary of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.'s journey to study Gandhi.

The details, six members of Congress, Martin Luther King III, Andrew Young, musician Herbie Hancock and others, both the U.S. State Department and Congress are picking up the bill. Martin Luther King III, who along with his siblings sold his father's papers for $32 million two years ago, was among the guests of the State Department. He called it the trip of a lifetime.

(END VIDEOTAPE) GRIFFIN: Kitty, we should know all the details in about 60 days when congressional members are required to file their expenses. But I must tell you, some of them judging by their staff comments aren't happy we even brought the subject up or made any comparison between their travel and executive travel. I'll tell you one congressman's press officer even suggested reporting this story was a joke, refusing to answer any of our questions.

PILGRIM: Drew, I don't know how you can treat this story as a joke in this economy with what Americans are going through right now.

GRIFFIN: It certainly seems to be bad timing when you're telling people that we need to pass the stimulus bill because of the economic crisis and then boarding these flights. They will probably argue, as they do, that this is part of their job to go out into the world and to see what they have to pass bills about.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Redux

Its pointless to discuss it with you.

The facts speak for themselves and others here can make their own judgments.

We know where you stand....thanks for your opinion!

You can defend her all you want. The thing speaks for itself.

Originally Posted by Griff

You're so cute when you dissemble.

Quoted for truth.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Redux

Quoted for truth

You guys are funny. Trying to make excuses for this stupid ass politican.

[richlevy]

Originally Posted by Redux

I think the intineraries are not made public in advance for security reasons.

I meant after the fact. As long as members know that they will be scrutinized by the public, that should cut down on abuse.

Palin did not seem to realize that her baggage (pardon the pun) would become public when she sought a national seat.

http://a.abcnews.com/Politics/wireStory?id=6084575

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is allowed to charge taxpayers for her children's commercial airline tickets because they represent the state wherever they go with her, the governor's aides said Wednesday.
"There's an expectation that the First Family participates in community activities," said Sharon Leighow, the governor's spokeswoman. "They are representing the First Family and the state of Alaska."


Leighow and other Palin supporters defended the GOP vice presidential candidate's use of $21,012 in state money to pay for her three daughters' flights, after The Associated Press reported the practice on Tuesday. The AP reported that often the children were not invited to the events the governor attended, but she brought them anyway and charged the government.

Maybe first families do get an exemption. I guess it depends if the family is involved in events or not. I wouldn't think that Obama would bring his wife and kids to tour NATO.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by richlevy

I wouldn't think that Obama would bring his wife and kids to tour NATO.

You're kidding right? I would be disappointed if he didn't.

[TGRR]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

You guys are funny. Trying to make excuses for this stupid ass politican.

Yea, really, if she's meeting with foreign heads of state, she should arrive on a piper cub. Or, fuck, even an ancient pusher biplane. Because that always gets things off to a great start.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by TGRR

Yea, really, if she's meeting with foreign heads of state, she should arrive on a piper cub. Or, fuck, even an ancient pusher biplane. Because that always gets things off to a great start.

As I stated earlier, it appears from the reports that this is a minor part of the trip. And she does not set national policy on issues with Italy. So why would she need to meet with anyone?

[TGRR]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

As I stated earlier, it appears from the reports that this is a minor part of the trip. And she does not set national policy on issues with Italy. So why would she need to meet with anyone?

Sure she can influence national policy with respect to Italy. Don't be silly.

http://www.usconstitution.net/const.txt

Article I, Sec 8, Clause 3:

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

Also, the president doesn't set national policy issues with respect to other nations, either. This must be done by having the State Department (ie, the president), negotiate terms, but the ratification of any treaty is done by...oh, yes. Congress.