Congresspeople taking European vacations, and it's all - now here's a surprise - on us.
The times being what they are, one would think that Congressmen would make some effort to economize, if only to show symbolic support for constituents who are being laid off.
But no:
The Wall Street Journal reports that spending on taxpayer-funded, overseas Congressional travel continues to rise. Such travel spending is up almost tenfold since 1995. It has risen another 50% since the Democrats took control of Congress in 2007.
Party affiliation of the travelers is of no significance as far as I am concerned. Democrats may be more guilty than Republicans when it comes to travel on our nickel - if only it could be so limited - but relative guilt is hardly the point.
Guilt is the operative word here.
In the meantime, while unemployment has continued to climb - 9.5% and still going up, it seems, with double-digits not far into the future - there are no reports suggesting that employment in the public sector is down at all, and lots of signs that it's doing quite well, and thank you, taxpayers, for asking.
There's not a whole lot being written about tea parties planned for this weekend, either, at least in your daily newspapers - the ones that are still grimly determined to report only what they think you should want to know, and then to tell you what you should think about what they report - but there's more online, so if it gets to that, I'll get you caught up once the scores come in.
Oh, and thank you . . .
For asking.
Update:
Don Surber has a more partisan view of the matter than I do:
Join Congress, see the world
Taxpayer-paid trips are up 50% in just 2 years under Democrats — to places like Jamaica, the Virgin Islands and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
Remember how everyone complained that congressmen were getting overseas vacations thanks to free travel paid for by lobbyists?
That’s stopped.
The travel hasn’t.
Taxpayers fund it . . .
It occurs to me that there's an obvious approach to reform that could satisfy both those who want our Congressionals to travel to, and see, and consider thoughtfully, the world and the way it does things (who knows; there may be taxes to be collected that they haven't even thought of), and those who resent what the consider the waste of public money on private fun:
Topic: Just When You Thought It Could Not Get Worse
Posted by Everyman - 10:06:19 EDT
Inspiration from the front page of our morning newspaper:
While the onslaught of miserable June weather played havoc with people’s plans and psyches, it has also provided a quiet benefit to many city neighborhoods. Fatal and nondeadly shootings in Boston have plunged, and police acknowledge the weather has been a key factor.
There was one shooting homicide last month, compared with three last June, six in June 2007, and seven in June 2006, according to city records. As important, the overall number of shootings fell by more than 60 percent from June 2008 to June 2009, with just 15 last month.
Memorials to Robert the Bruce and William Wallace at Stirling. The Battle of Bannockburn was fought near Stirling Castle against a much larger English force.
Bruce and the Scots had fought for years in an unceasing campaign against the English king Edward I.
They often lost.
They refused to quit.
They outlasted Edward I.
On June 24th 1314, Robert the Bruce and the forces of Scotland defeated the forces of Edward II at Bannockburn, a decisive battle in the Scottish struggle for independence.
Six years later, on April 6th 1320, in the Declaration of Arbroath, the Scots said exactly why they had fought -
It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.
Freedom.
It is not that complicated;
It is really that simple.
Fight for it, as our forefathers did when they secured our freedom from a king in faraway England - for yourself and for generations to come - and understand that the fight for freedom, and the vigilance required to keep it, never end.
Unless we let what God and brave men and women over the years have given us - our freedom - get away from us.
Or in this case, in your 'vette, as your government, while not wanting to run General Motors, will see to it being redesigned to fit the new paradigm:
The new economy cars
Be of good cheer, and as important, be of short leg.
Or, if you fancy that you are more of an outdoor type, and particularly if your name is Sally, saddle up the trusty mustang and ride on out to the range:
Maybe even find the time to grill up some short ribs along the way.
Somewhat limited muttering time today, and not because there's a dim appearance by the sun in our morning sky.
Still lots of moisture in the air, colder air above - or so the weather guy is telling us - and the sun, with its brief, reluctant appearance, is only going to make matters worse by heating the moist air, and you know what that will bring down on us - and family visits increasing in number as the day, and the weekend, goes on.
And yes, it's Parade of Horribles time again here on Cape Ann, a rather odd but determined celebration of the weird on the streets of Gloucester early this evening, and we're invited to view it from the rooftop deck of friends, with that magic, two-word condition attached:
Weather permitting.
The rest of the country may be getting underway with its celebrations of July 4, but we have our traditions to observe. Plus there's still a chance to get some business done, at least this morning, and that will involve writing of a different kind.
Do I really believe that a revolt by the complacent Media is likely?
Possible?
Yes, and in fact I've predicted it here as inevitable, too, because I know that, at the end of the day, with its very survival on the line - the Media has issues of survival these days, as those of us who do not live on Mars know full well - the Media will prove quite capable of turning on Obama, his minions and his reckless programs and thus (reluctantly, of course; always reluctantly, and with a bit of sadness) pulling the rug out from beneath this administration.
Abruptly, as such things must be done to be effective.
It's not a whole lot to go on, but when Helen Thomas, of all people, joins in to accuse the president of treating the media as his hand-maidens, and orchestrating his little town meetings, picking the questioners and the questions in advance, looking first and foremost to the photo op, to suit his own political ambitions, it's surely an indication of some restive trouble in paradise:
"What the hell do they think we are, puppets?" Thomas said.
"They're supposed to stay out of our business. They are our public servants. We pay them."
Thomas said she was especially concerned about the arrangement between the Obama Administration and a writer from the liberal Huffington Post Web site. The writer was invited by the White House to President Obama's press conference last week on the understanding that he would ask Obama a question about Iran from among questions that had been sent to him by people in Iran.
"When you call the reporter the night before you know damn well what they are going to ask to control you," Thomas said.
"I'm not saying there has never been managed news before, but this is carried to fare-thee-well - for the town halls, for the press conferences," she said.
"It's blatant."
"They don't give a damn if you know it or not."
"They ought to be hanging their heads in shame."
And once begun, such a revolt would likely build on itself, becoming, perhaps in spite of the heartfelt desires of the president's enablers, a news story of its own.
Let's stay tuned, just in case.
Shall we?
Update:
Egad!
Yikes, too!
First Helen Thomas; now The Washington Post looking behind the elaborately hung curtain and not being entirely pleased with what can be seen there:
Obama made his pitch before an audience of about 200 people at Northern Virginia Community College's Annandale campus, including students, administrators, professors and local residents.
But the real targets of the message were far beyond Annandale, and the White House is hoping to use social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook to reach constituents across the country.
***
In the stage-managed event, questions for Obama came from a live audience selected by the White House and the college, and from Internet questions chosen by the administration's new-media team. Of the seven questions the president answered, four were selected by his staff from videos submitted to the White House Web site or from those responding to a request for "tweets."
The president called randomly on three audience members. All turned out to be members of groups with close ties to his administration: the Service Employees International Union, Health Care for America Now, and Organizing for America, which is a part of the Democratic National Committee. White House officials said that was a coincidence.
The most dramatic moment came from Debby Smith, 53, of Appalachia, Va., who was near tears as she described for Obama her fragile health, including a recently discovered tumor for which she cannot get treatment.
Obama waved her over and hugged her, saying, "I don't want you to feel like you're all alone." He promised to "find out what we can do within existing law" and called Smith the "perfect example" of the kind of person his health plan is intended to help.
Afterward, Smith seemed less than satisfied with Obama's reassurances, telling reporters that it was still unclear how she would get the treatment she needs before she becomes eligible for government aid in nine years.
The AP is reporting that Debby Smith, the woman who President Obama hugged during yesterday's town hall meeting and promised to help after she described her difficulties getting treatment for a tumor, "is a volunteer for Organizing for America, Obama's political operation within the Democratic National Committee" who "obtained her ticket through the White House."
Appropriate subject matter, though, for a media circus like this.
In days of yore - before your time, and, indeed, I'm happy to say, mine - these kinds of traveling shows were called Medicine Shows.
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