U.S. House orders Luxury jets to ferry them around

[bobheck]

What recession? House sneaks private jets into defense bill. | The Platform | STLtoday

 

[truthseeker]

Why should they travel like the rest of us? After all, they are the elites and deserve only the best...

 

[Ezechiel]

Weird ?! ..... wouldn't it be cheaper to set up high tech tele-conferencing instead ?

 

[truthseeker]

Weird ?! ..... wouldn't it be cheaper to set up high tech tele-conferencing instead ?

Well yeah. Unfortunately efficiency is not in their vocabulary.

 

[davide]

I heard there's a website where you can report, directly to the White House, other citizens who are passing along health care reform information deemed incorrect by the administration. If the Republicans were in charge, the press would be going ballistic. But since they are essentially controlled by the same political party now holding the Executive office and, for the past three years, the House and Senate, you barely hear a peep. The press didn't even blink when the administration announced they would be taking over the next census.

It's a little creepy when a single party controls of all branches of government as well as the press -- especially when the press is a lapdog of the government they helped put into power and will therefore not hold them accountable.

Bush was criticized by being seen playing golf while we were at war. Obama tied up Manhattan for hours so he could have a date night with his wife. We were still at war and also in an economic crisis with double-digit unemployment looming. But his actions were considered "charming" and "elegant" by that same press. We have come to expect dissapointment from our elected leaders, but the press is especially disgusting.

“I’m sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and disagree with this administration, somehow you’re not patriotic. We need to stand up and say we’re Americans, and we have the right to debate and disagree with any administration.”

– Hillary Rodham Clinton

 

[leftystrat]

The healthcare crisis will end when Congress has to choose an HMO.

 

[CapnG]

I heard there's a website where you can report, directly to the White House, other citizens who are passing along health care reform information deemed incorrect by the administration.

I have heard of this fabled website and I have one question: can you explain how this is any different than any other consumer protection website for reporting false claims for other products or services? Because if people are out there saying shit like "The gubm'nt wants to harvest your children's organs and sell 'em to China!" don't you think someone somewhere maybe ought to call them out on it? Because at this point if someone did say that I guarantee people would believe it.

It's a little creepy when a single party controls of all branches of government as well as the press -- especially when the press is a lapdog of the government they helped put into power and will therefore not hold them accountable.

You mean like when the republicans controlled the house, senate and Presidency for six years? Yep.

Or maybe it doesn't matter which party is in power because the media (like the government itself) is entirely beholden to the whims of it's corporate masters.

Bush was criticized by being seen playing golf while we were at war. Obama tied up Manhattan for hours so he could have a date night with his wife. We were still at war and also in an economic crisis with double-digit unemployment looming. But his actions were considered "charming" and "elegant" by that same press.

Difference: Obama wasn't discussing the war at the time.

 

[pixelsmith]

Or maybe it doesn't matter which party is in power because the media (like the government itself) is entirely beholden to the whims of it's corporate masters.

BINGO we have a winner!

 

[davide]

I have heard of this fabled website and I have one question: can you explain how this is any different than any other consumer protection website for reporting false claims for other products or services?

Reporting a fellow citizen to the Feds for something "fishy" is a lot different than complaining to the BBB about your plumber. Consumer protection organizations don't control the Attorney General's office, the FBI and the most scary agency of all -- the IRS. This administration was born in the backrooms of Chicago and knows how to play hardball. Unfortunately, for short-sighted partisan Democrats, anything goes as long as your team holds all the marbles.

You mean like when the republicans controlled the house, senate and Presidency for six years?

As a non-partisan, I can agree. That proved that absolute power corrupts absolutely. The difference there is that the mainstream media wasn't infatuated with the administration. Despite occasional token opposition, the citizenry is not served when the press is essentially an arm of the government in power.

Or maybe it doesn't matter which party is in power because the media (like the government itself) is entirely beholden to the whims of it's corporate masters.

True to a large degree, but as we are beginning to see, a government and press controlled by the same political party is not in the best interest of the people. A country works best with some legitimate political division or at least some oversight by an independent press to hold them accountable.

Difference: Obama wasn't discussing the war at the time.

I wasn't there. I can't say who was saying what. Although it's obvious that Obama has been given a pass on stuff that Bush would have been reamed inside and out for.

My personal favorite are his promises of transparency. "Sunlight is the greatest disinfectant... No more secrecy... When there's a bill that ends up on my desk as president, you the public will have 5 days to look online and find out what's in it before I sign it."

Let's see... the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act was signed only two days after its passage, the State Children's Health Insurance Program three hours after Congress passed it, the 1000-page $787 billion stimulus bill after only one business day after it passed through Congress.

 

[CapnG]

Reporting a fellow citizen to the Feds for something "fishy" is a lot different than complaining to the BBB about your plumber.

Who then should ridiculous "Obama wants to kill your grandma!" claims be challenged by?

The difference there is that the mainstream media wasn't infatuated with the administration.

FOX News isn't mainstream? Because I don't recall a single day before, during or since the Bush administration that they didn't have their collective tongues up the GOPs ass. Further even than MSNBC's are up the Dems (and that's like halfway to the colon!)

True to a large degree, but as we are beginning to see, a government and press controlled by the same political party is not in the best interest of the people. A country works best with some legitimate political division or at least some oversight by an independent press to hold them accountable.

The party does not control the press. The corporations control the party and they OWN the press. They do what they're told like good little robots and we all get to pretend it's a democracy.

I wasn't there. I can't say who was saying what. Although it's obvious that Obama has been given a pass on stuff that Bush would have been reamed inside and out for.

It's on tape. I guarantee it's on Youtube. I think Micheal Moore even tagged it in his 9/11 movie. W's talking about how he's going to defeat Saddam or Al Queda and then the camera pulls back and he adds "Now watch this drive" and swings his golf club. It's an iconic symbol of the disconnect between the Bush administration and the people they supposedly served- the tanned, relaxed President enjoying a casual game of golf while half-way around the world, young men and women die in the deserts of two wars he started.

Nothing, I repeat NOTHING Obama has done in his scant few months in office even approaches a percentage of that level of hubris. Truely unconsionable.

My personal favorite are his promises of transparency. "Sunlight is the greatest disinfectant... No more secrecy... When there's a bill that ends up on my desk as president, you the public will have 5 days to look online and find out what's in it before I sign it."

Yes, it has been awfully cloudy as of late. The Daily Show did a brilliant send up of that fact a month or two back, complete with sunshine, storm clouds et al.

 

[davide]

Who then should ridiculous "Obama wants to kill your grandma!" claims be challenged by?

If legislators took the time to actually read the bills that will affect every one of us or BO lived up to his promise to post them for public review, most of the false rumors would be squashed. But it's interesting that some seem more comfortable with the policy of reporting fellow Americans to the state without knowing what they intend to do with the information rather than demanding the promised transparency from our elected officials.

 

[CapnG]

If legislators took the time to actually read the bills that will affect every one of us or BO lived up to his promise to post them for public review, most of the false rumors would be squashed.

As I understand it the bill is still in revision, therefore any cries of "read the bill!" are pointless as there is as yet no bill to read. Elements that have been offered for inclusion in the final bill however should be readily available from the various congress/senate members who've proposed them, just check their web sites or ask them.

The simple fact is this: it is easier to believe a crazy rumour than it is to learn the truth because belief takes nothing and learning takes effort, even if it is minimal.

But it's interesting that some seem more comfortable with the policy of reporting fellow Americans to the state without knowing what they intend to do with the information rather than demanding the promised transparency from our elected officials.

Well, since I'm not an American citizen my personal opinion is moot. However, were I a citizen I might take it under consideration that persons engaged in what is seemingly an active effort to destabalize the country and undermine the government through the use of propaganda would be engaging in the promotion of civil unrest at a bare minimum and may in fact prove to be commiting acts of treason.

I would also demand the aforementioned transparency. The two ideas are not in conflict, on the contrary they coincide- removal of disinformation and exposure of the complete facts.

 

[methshin]

the same people who gave the CEOs of the big three auto manufacturers shit for doing the same thing?

I even saw a analysis of the cost of the auto CEOs travelling by private jet compared to car and shockingly, it cost the company more to send them by plane than it does by automobile.

I wish I could find the link for it because it sounds like a load of bullshit, but I know I saw it on some news channel.