By Currie Myers, Editor and Publisher
Congressional Corruption
Remember the mainstream media’s coverage of the Republican-controlled Congress of 2006? How corrupt and dishonest it was and how the change in power would bring the House back to the people.
Well, despite new House travel restrictions, lawmakers accepted free trips worth nearly $1.9 million during the first eight months of this year -- more than in all of 2006, according to CQ MoneyLine, a non-partisan group.
Or did the Democrats enact true legislation on this issue. The fact is the House of Pelosi also created exemptions to the rules, including allowing lawmakers to take overnight trips paid for by lobbyists and the companies that hire them and to accept travel expenses from organizations that don't hire lobbyists. Two-night trips also are allowed if members need extra time to get to and from an event. The Senate has approved similar exemptions that are not yet law.
So far, US congressmen and their assistants have taken trips paid for by special interests (corporations & lobbyists) with many trips to popular vacation destinations such as Paris, Hawaii and Italy. Many people are viewing these "fact finding trips" as special favors for corporations and other special interest groups. The group further indicated that the majority of abusers were Democrats and/or there staffers. Is the KC Star reporting this coverage? Are national news stations covering this important fact? They sure let the voters know in 2006.
Americans are not happy about the job that Congress is doing, and with very good reason. According to the results of a Gallup Poll completed last week, only 14 percent of the American people approve of Congress. That's the lowest Congressional rating since Gallup started measuring confidence in American institutions.
Here is just the short list of congressional abusers:
Fifteen members of Congress (13 Democrats and 2 Republicans) and their spouses spent five days of the “President's Day District Work Period” at a luxurious hotel in sunny San Juan, Puerto Rico and a cost of $7,000 per person.
During the “Spring District Work Period” in April, 13 members of Congress (10 Democrats and 3 Republicans) and their spouses traveled to China for a Chinese-American relations conference at a cost of about $25,000 per couple.
And who went to a Mexican Resort just a few months ago on the taxpayers? Ten members of Congress (9 Democrats and 1 Republican) played in the sun along with their spouses.
And our personal favorite? Congressman Maurice Hinchey, Democrat, New York. Congressman Hinchey has received over $200,000 worth of free travel since 2000 including a 2007 trip to Germany with his wife worth $20,000. By the way, to had additional insult to the taxpayers, Speaker Pelosi has proposed that adult children be permitted to accompany members on taxpayer paid trips. Special note of interest: None of the Republicans cited in this commentary were conservatives in political philosophy.
The liberal controlled House and Senate has been a complete and ultimate failure. And a reckoning is on the horizon. The reckoning will be conservatives with Federalists principles and are Americans of the people, by the people, and for the people.
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