Congressman Jet-setter

The Washington Post today reports on 12 current or former House and Sneate leaders "each with exceptional power to determine the fate of legislation and regulation" who "flew on corporate-owned jets at least 360 times from January 2001 to December 2004."

Blunt and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) are the top two users of such jets among the current leadership, together accounting for at least 140 trips during the past two election cycles - an average of one flight every 10 days.

This reminds me of an earlier post I did about House Financial Services Chairman Michael Oxley (R-OH). He used his campaign funds - much raised by corporate executives - to spend $25,000 for "chauffeured luxury sedans around New York," take more than 47 "excursions across the country on private jets," spend $63,544 on "ski trips to Vail" and host "golf outings in Scottsdale."

This travesty isn't limited to Members of Congress. Presidential candidates George W. Bush and John McCain made heavy use of corporate jets during their campaigns in 2000. But its really no surprise - these Cadillac Conservatives have made little effort to hide their elitist inclinations these days, passing all sorts of legislation that rewards Big Business and screws over America's middle-class.