C’mon ST, aren’t you reaching a little on this one?
2-day “Junkets” to Ft. Lauderdale?

You must not have heard Howard Dean going on about this stuff…. Gifts are gifts whether they come from a for profit business or a non profit or a non-profit.

Aspen’s President and CEO, Walter Isaacson, once was Chairman and CEO of CNN, and Managing Editor of Time Magazine. Neither organization has ever been spoken for conservative values, to my knowledge.

John McCain is a RINO, in my opinion. Bruce Babbitt was a Democratic governor and Interior Secretary under Clinton. David Brooks told a questioner who asked why the public dislikes the “liberal” media, “…because people are idiots. The press is more honest and less salacious now than ever before.” Hardly a conservative belief, but understandable since he now works for the NY Times.

Just because an organization bills itself as nonpolitical and/or nonprofit does not make it so. As one of my profs, who worked for a nonprofit think tank, told me, “We’re ‘nonprofit.’ That way, we can pump all our income into salaries.”

tom apparently believes, like so many liberals, that non-profit means good and benevolent, while for profit means evil and nasty. Which goes right along with the traditional leftist anti-capitalist belief that profit is bad and evil.

So, non-profits can’t have an agenda, can’t be trying to influence politicians? How naive are you anyway? A lot of the problems we currently face are either caused or exacerbated by non-profits, like, oh, say environmental groups, animal rights groups, race baiting groups, etc. etc. etc.

I often find myself thinking that non-profit groups are un-American. If you’re not trying to make a profit, you’re short circuiting the system of capitalism.

For myself, I believe that both sides should not be paid more than thier salary, ‘short-junkets’ or not.

If it is a vacation, they need ot be paying this out of thier own pocket, that means THEIR SALARY, the money they make being a senator or congressman, should be used to go on vacations.

If it is a working trip, where they are their on work related issues, then they should be paid for by travel expenses through their office, and PROVE that this is a work related trip.

If they bring their wives and children, ect, then they need to pay for them out of their salary, and not be stealing from American taxpayers by making us pay for their family vacations.

This goes for both sides!

I have never seen such lack of accountability in how money is spent as it is with the US Government, the Senators and Congressman.

I go on vacation, I take time off from work to do it. PTO, paid time off if I have vacation time built up. Any money I spend on the trip of the vacation is out of MY pocket, not my works.

If I go on a working trip, where the company is sending me somewhere, the trip is paid for by my company, and I keep a very detailed expense report of what they reimburse me…otherwise it is out of MY pocket it comes if I cannot prove with reciepts or go over the set limits say for food in a day.

Our Government officials should be no different, since they are essentially playing with out money, they should have a greater responsibility of accountability when they spend it.

As for special interest groups and gifts, I think they should be barred to tell you the truth. I expect our government officials to work for what we pay them (which is way to much to begin with anyways), so I do not think they should be taking ‘gifts’ that will influence their decisions on making laws and such.

As for raises, I think they should have to come before the American people and ask them for a raise. I and my co-workers do not vote ourselves raises, it is based on productivity, and our bosses (which in this case would be the American People) would decide what and how much of a raise we would get based on performance and other factors.

When I see all these ‘gifts’ and paid for things going to Senators and Congressman, I see this as a form of bribery to influence decision making in Washington – and I think that should be illegal and these Senators and Congressman should have a standing policy of not accepting gifts at all.

Anything to raise the morale of the faithful, right?

Bachbone – Aspen Institute is not a lefist organization. It was praised in testimony before the H.R. Rules Committee this year by 16 year Republican Mick Edwards. This “leftist organization” has featured such speakers as William Bennett, Bruce Babbitt, John McCain, David Brooks, etc.

Getting caught with one’s hand in the cookie jar elicits many excuses.

*looks around*

Is my sarcasm showing?

Ahh, will this be trumpeted in the press? Hmmm?

Nahhhh!