That Bill Thomas (R-CA) sure knows how to travel in style!

[xray s]

Round trip DC to Colorado for $27,233!

Must have been a hell of an in-flight meal!

http://www.fecinfo.com/cgi-win/x_PrivateLocation.exe?DoFn=Beaver%20Creek,%20CO

17. 06/24/05
06/26/05 American Enterprise Institute
Vail Valley Foundation
THOMAS, WILLIAM M Purpose: To participate in panel discussions on Entitlements, Social Security, and Tax Reform
Note: Dulles, VA - Beaver Creek, CO - Dulles, VA
Travel $27,233; Lodging $380; Meals $304; Other $45; Total $27,962

[BlueEyedSon]

1. Talk about an ENTITLEMENT....!

[CottonBear]

22. Exactly my thought! n/t

[Fenris]

2. Apparently he's taking a plane that runs on pure silver.

[CottonBear]

3. A family of four could live on $27,962 a year.

What is wrong with these RW politicians? How the hell could it cost that much and who is paying for it? :grr:

[xray s]

6. Even the "small numbers" are big

How the hell do you spend $300 for one day of meals? That's $100 a meal!

[CottonBear]

15. Maybe he ate at the airports? It's always expensive there.

Did he spend his personal money or did someone else pay? I have no idea how you could eat $300 worth of food in one day unless you order super-expensive food or a lot of liquor. :(

[bliss_eternal]

20. Actually, in hotels that's not hard to do...

that's something I always check when we go away--the cost of room service, meals, etc. where we stay. What they charge for ala carte breakfast items, I could totally see how a meal could cost that much. If a meal for two people is easily $50.00 in the places I stay with my husband, which are nice but not five star resorts by any means--imagine the kinds of places an entitled congressman would stay...it would easily add up.

[bliss_eternal]

17. Exactly--

that's why they don't want any 'social programs' eating up their "high lifestyles." :eyes:

Fuck them all in the ear.

[Initech]

4. How the hell do you spend $27,000 to go to Colorado?

When I went there last year, flight and hotel cost me a mere $400.

[Eugene]

10. Private jet.

A Gulfstream V costs around $5,000/hour.

[xray s]

11. Wow!

Kind'a makes the DC Metro rush hour rates seem like a bargain! :)

[Initech]

12. Even still...

I go to a lot of aviation websites and they say that you can RENT a Gulfstream V (with pilots) for like 1/3 of that. Spending $27,000 on it is bullshit.

Oh and you know, heaven forbid that our elected officials should have to take public air transportation like the rest of us and be forced to deal with the T.S.A., which they created...

[CottonBear]

23. I flew roundtrip to the UK (Atlanta to Gatwick) for under $400 on BA.

I've flown roundtrip from Atlanta to NYC for $200 on the now extinct Kiwi Airlines.

I know costs have gone up some since then but do you think it would kill htese polticians to fly coach like the rest of us? I mean, what makes them so goddamn special? :grr:

[Initech]

24. Just once, I'd love to see these assholes deal with the TSA.

Or flying coach. Or getting stuck in airport traffic. Just once.

And I've flown from LAX - Detroit for less than $200. Round trip.

[underpants]

5. So the lapdancers are charged WITH the plane?

Wow that is some sweetheart deal they got worked out there.

[Initech]

7. I wonder what that other $45 was for...

:shrug:

[xray s]

8. pay per view porno

no doubt

[Initech]

9. Or tipping the strippers...

[Virginia Dare]

13. Tips....

spends 27,000 on a frickin private jet, and tips a lousy $45. What a jack-ass.

[Initech]

19. Pretty lousy tip, indeed...

[babylonsister]

14. Good cigars to go with the lap dance? nt

[AnneD]

16. Wait...

wasn't there another politician that got into trouble over cigars????

[Initech]

18. Ah, touche!

[Sgent]

21. 27K

isn't out of line for a GS Charter. Remember the rates you see are per / hour, don't include landing fees, and don't include "waiting" times.

You have to pay the pilot so much per hour/day and the charter company the same for staying around waiting for your return trip -- or you have to pay for 2 RT flights.

Edited: Although the cost doesn't seem out of line compared to a private charter, its one thing (good or bad) for a corporation to pay this for their executives. Its another for a corp to provide this "perk" to a congressman -- and should be illegal IMHO.