UP Ibalon Bicol: Extravagant aircraft purchases face opposition

Extravagant aircraft purchases face opposition

8/11/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

With increasing public frustration over the extravagance of the current administration, a group of US senators including the Pentagon have opposed the purchase of jets for US government use---a luxurious fleet for traveling officials underwritten taxpayers’ money. The big spending speaks of the entitlement Capitol Hill has been used to.

The appropriation proposal of $550 million by house lawmakers to buy eight Gulfstream and Boeing planes for official use is being opposed the House Appropriations Committee, Pentagaon, and by Sens. Claire McCaskill (D., Mo.). John McCain (R., Ariz.,) Jack Reed (D., R.I.), Richard Burr (R., N.C.), Christopher Bond (R., Mo.) and John Thune (R., S.D.). The amount being asked for the pricey aircrafts is double the amount of $220 million originally asked by the Obama administration to upgrade the aircrafts.

“The tension over the jets is erupting just as lawmakers embark on the high season for government travel. Traditionally, August is the busiest travel period of the year, since Congress usually recesses for a month. Since 1995, House lawmakers have disclosed a total of $6.2 million in travel expenses for all the months of August, according to a Wall Street Journal computer-assisted analysis of 60,000 travel records.” ----Wall Street Journal (08/10/09, Mullins, B; Farnam, TW )

This buying spree comes when US government spending, unemployment, healthcare debacle, and recession woes continue to plague the American people. A number of critics are saying, the leadership action at this time makes people madly disappointed and incredulous over where this country is heading. Some lawmakers however weakly defend this outrageous aircraft spending as “necessary”---- to those who travel in order to bring American goodwill throughout the world. (Photo Credit: www.artshole.co.uk) =0=

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Labels: aircraft, airplane, budget, buying spree, extravagance, purchase, Totie Mesia

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Extravagant aircraft purchases face opposition

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