Congress Gets an Upgrade – WSJ.com — Free spending Democrats are out to prove they can be worse than the Republicans.
Congress plans to spend $550 million to buy eight jets, a substantial upgrade to the fleet used by federal officials at a time when lawmakers have criticized the use of corporate jets by companies receiving taxpayer funds.The purchases will help accommodate growing travel demand by congressional officials. The planes augment a fleet of about two dozen passenger jets maintained by the Air Force for lawmakers, administration officials and military chiefs to fly on government trips in the U.S. and abroad.The congressional shopping list goes beyond what the Air Force had initially requested as part of its annual appropriations
Found by Guilherme Cherman.
The 737 costs $5,700-an-hour
Round trip: DC to San Francisco will cost at least $62,700
Comparison: a round trip First Class ticket $1,417
Nancy Pelosi could buy 40 round trip First Class tickets to go home and still spend less than one flight on her brand new 737.
Actually Nancy gets to ride in the even more expensive 757.
According to the WSJ
The congressional shopping list goes beyond what the Air Force had initially requested as part of its annual appropriations. The Pentagon sought to buy one Gulfstream V and one business-class equivalent of a Boeing 737 to replace aging planes. The Defense Department also asked to buy two additional 737s that were being leased.
Lawmakers in the House last week added funds to buy those planes, and plus funds to buy an additional two 737s and two Gulfstream V planes.
Unless y’all can show evidence of equal criticism of Republican House Speakers, this is just more mindless wingnut propaganda.
It’s certain preferable that the government is spending money to indulge congressman instead of private lobbying groups doing so. I see this as the much lesser of two evils.
#23, All Republican House Speakers were crappy as well.
There.
—Unless y’all can show evidence of equal criticism of Republican House Speakers, this is just more mindless wingnut propaganda.–
Hey Phytard,
So buying Gulfstreams in the middle of a huge budget crisis is only wrong if your opponents were also criticized. If they weren’t criticized, then this spending is a good idea..ok, got it.
I’m glad the adult are now in charge, making rational decisions based on the needs of the country. I’m proud that my Mom will not get her heart meds so Nancy Pelosi can fly home for the weekend.
It ain’t only Republican nutcases who think this is bad…this is NOT what I voted for.
#26, this is NOT what I voted for.
Unfortunately, it is.
Did you really think things would change simply because that was Obama’s campaign slogan?
Oh boy… US people are so screwed. Didn’t some terrorist say the US will collapse on itself? Yea, whomever said that is a damn prophet.
I have mixed feelings.
First, I really don’t mind that our leaders have private jets to take them on official government-mandated trips. When that Congressional committee sets down in Aruba for a week’s intensive discussions on the practice of beach democracy, I want them to be seen arriving in a USA-logo jet.
OTOH, when Ms Pelosi flies home to San Fran, I’d feel much more comfortable knowing that even a first class seat can get a bit clammy during a 5 hour tarmac hold. And how will she feel about that $20 first bag fee? Looking at Fancy Nancy, I suspect she travels with several bags. I’d like to see her forced to collect receipts and beg for reimbursements. When I fly on US Gov business, that’s what they insist on from me. Except I don’t get a first class seat. I get steerage.
#22 Actually, Speaker Pelosi usually rides to the west coast and back in the C-37 (Gulfstream V) and not the C-40 (737). $3000/hr vs the $5700/hr. What always surprised me is that almost no GOP members ride with her. Its usually full of Democrats and spouses.
#29 Ever since 9/11 the Speaker of the House flies military since that person is the third in line to the Presidency. They want there to be the secure communications that the planes provide.
But I do agree with your wish that Pelosi go thru TSA screening and the myriad of other indignities we peons have to endure.
I spent most of the day working with a great bunch of young Americans. When I think about the those kids and the addle pated nincompoops now running our country…
This is so typical. Congress are a bunch of hypocrites; after, having criticize Auto Executives’ Corporate Jet Travel …
And the public just keeps on reelecting them. How do you blame?
#11, turk,
Actually Nancy Pelosi spends the most taxpayer money.
Actually you’re wrong. She spends most weekends in Washington while Haskert flew home almost every weekend.
While the headline is obviously inflammatory, why does the military need luxury jets? And these are luxury jets.
As for the 14% by Congressmen, they may catch a ride ONLY if there is a free jet or another jet going in that direction. The Clerk of the House makes the arrangements with the DoD whenever a Congressman asks to fly military. If the process were easier, I’m sure more would be doing it.
As the third in line for the Presidency, the Speaker of the House deserves the protection afforded by flying a personal plane. So did Haskert when he was Speaker. Besides herself, she is accompanied by a Secret Service detail that doesn’t like crowded airports so this is usually someone else’s call.
#34 Actually Judicial Watch disagrees with you. From what they have been able to get from the AF thru FOIA requests “Overall, Speaker Pelosi had flown more than her predecessor Dennis Hastert, but the records did have gaps (for both Pelosi and Hastert). (A statistical analysis showed that despite the gaps in information over a two year period Pelosi used military aircraft more than Hastert did in a three year period; and on a sample monthly comparison Pelosi also took military flights more than Hastert.)
This is a good way to deflect from the fact we gave $750 billion dollars to rich wall street executives who were too incompetent to make any real money.
#36,
The House Clerk’s Office disagrees with you.