Congress Too Good to Fly Commercial

Before I start ranting I just wanted to take a stroll down memory lane:

Big 3 automakers shamed for taking private jets.....

"There's a delicious irony in seeing private luxury jets flying in to Washington, D.C., and people coming off of them with tin cups in their hands saying that they're going to be trimming down and streamlining their businesses," said Rep. Gary L. Ackerman (D-N.Y.) "There's a message there.

"I mean, couldn't you all have downgraded to first class or jet pooled or something to get here? It could have at least sent a message that you do get it."

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/nov/20/business/fi-bailout20

Ok I can understand if you ran a bankrupt auto company.... what if you ran Goldman Sachs and made over $3 Billion in profit in 12 weeks? Nope, no such luck Congress expects you fly coach or take the train.....

Lloyd Blankfein, CEO of Goldman Sachs, which the government allowed to convert to a bank-holding company last year, will take "public transportation" on Wednesday, the bank said.

"It has taken months and gallons of bad ink, but it seems that the bailout bank CEOs are starting to wake up. Now that every American taxpayer is a shareholder, they need to be on better behavior," said Stephen Ellis, vice president at Taxpayers for Common Sense, a nonpartisan watchdog. "To be sure these are minor cost-savings compared to the billions the Treasury has invested in their companies, but a bit of humility and shared sacrifice can go a long way."

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/finance/wall-street-titans-downgrade-commercial-flights/

There might be perfectly valid reasons for a Congressperson to have to travel in the stylish luxury of a private jet. If they flew commercial they might have to go through a Homeland Security Checkpoint and sit next to their constituents. On the plus side the unemployed don't do much flying these days.

I just don't get it... 8 new Gulfstream and Boeing Jets. I find it impossible to believe that there are no alternatives to buying these jets. Last time I checked we still had an Air Force, they seem to have alot of planes but in all fairness enlisted people fly commercial it seems it's cheaper.

Perhaps with the ludicras amount of spending they do up on the Hill they could get Amex's with Frequent Flier miles. Not only could they fly for free but they could probably get some sort of first class deal with the participating airlines.

Lastly, if Amtrak is good enough for Citibank shouldn't it be good enough for Hillary Clinton or Charles Schumer? I mean has the phrase "Company Man" lost all currency these days?

It seems the best arguement for the private planes is that the time of high level government officials is valuable. I couldn't disagree more! Perhaps if politicians spent more time going through security checkpoints and waiting for missed connection (just like you and I) then they wouldn't have as much time to devote to the destruction of America.