No more first class on the taxpayer's dime bill.

We have people promoting reducing welfare, limiting SNAPs, ect, complaining about the poor benefitting from taxpayer's money.

However, the truth is, what we should be doing is promoting bills like thehill.com...

Rep. Gwen Graham (D-Fla.) introduced legislation Tuesday that would prevent members of Congress from using taxpayer funds on first-class plane tickets. The bill would also ban lawmakers from using government funds for long-term car leases for personal use. "It's a commonsense idea that Republicans and Democrats can both agree on: members of Congress shouldn't be able to charge taxpayers for first-class airfare or long-term personal car leases," said Graham, who will likely be one of the most vulnerable House Democrats in the next election cycle. A statement from Graham's office said the bill is the first of multiple "anti-perk bills" to curb luxuries for members of Congress. Rep. Rod Blum (R-Iowa) is currently listed as the bill's only cosponsor. Lawmakers of both parties have introduced similar legislation in the past. One bipartisan measure last year, titled the "If Our Military Has to Fly Coach Then So Should Congress Act," would also force lawmakers to fly in coach class with taxpayer money. However, it did provide exceptions for first-class travel to accommodate medical problems or disabilities. Another bill offered by Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) last year would merely limit the purchase of first-class domestic airfare with taxpayer funds in certain circumstances. Those exceptions included if the flight was at least five hours or coach-class seats were unavailable in situations requiring urgent travel.

I personally am more upset about people who already have it good, and already have tons of money living it up on our dime than anyone poor. These people don't need to be given a thing and we're renting cars for them that they drive for far longer than their job requires and flying them first class which is an unnecessary luxury. If they want to fly first class they can pay for it themselves with their fortunes, and if they want a car to go sightseeing and having fun in and not just get to where they're supposed to be for the job we pay them for, than they should damn well pay for it themselves.

I'm fed up with people jumping on destroying those services that help those of us struggling most, while we're still funding luxuries for the rich. Let's get our priorities in order and cut out the stuff that gives the haves even more luxuries on our dime, before we start tearing apart the support structure of the have nots.

a reply to: Puppylove

I love this bill and the purpose behind it.

It really IS a common sense idea, but there doesn't seem to BE much common sense with these policymakers anymore. Hopefully this one goes through, it would Definitely be a step in the right direction.

a reply to: Puppylove

How is it that most of the workforce would be required to fly coach and need to jump through several hoops in order to be reimbursed for certain expenses, yet our representatives fly first class and lease nice cars on our dime, WITHOUT jumping through ANY hoops. Reimbursements for this, a comfy pension, the list goes on.. and on... and on.


NO! It is flat out Wrong. This is a great idea and I applaud Rep. Graham.

a reply to: Puppylove

It is well known the chances of survival go up at the rear of the airplane in an accident. For that reason I do not support this bill. I say put them in front and hope for the best.

concessions are a good sign!
however, can you imagine someone coming into your yard, walking up to you while you're mowing the yard, grabbing your lawnmower right out of your hands and walking away with it. and when you say, "hey gimme back my lawnmower or i'm gonna call the police," the robber says in response "okay fine, here's the crank handle and the fuel tank."

lol

Hear Hear!
I normally don't like the idea of new laws seeing as we have the equivalent of libraries full of them, but it is the micro-managing of everyday citizens lives that gets me. If think if the politicians truly want to represent us then they should live like us. At least not better than us on the taxpayers dime. I have never flown first-class and I think if they want to, they ought to pay for the upgrade themselves. And the thought of them driving personal cars paid for by us is insulting.
I drive a 1986 pickup and my wife drives a late nineties sedan. Not the greatest of vehicles, but paid for ourselves with our own sweat and hard work. Good on Rep. Gwen Graham and Rep. Rod Blum. Hopefully this gains traction and the other Representatives come aboard. Although doubtful they would vote for something that takes their special privileges away.

a reply to: harvestdog

Yeah, the system is broken, putting their own benefits and pay in their own control... Corruption is built straight up into the system.

there will be a loophole. Probably if they wait till the last minute and first is all they have left then thats what they will take. Our company has rules but many know the way around them.

a reply to: Puppylove

They should be walking, not flying first class.

This is what happens when Govt gets as much power as it has.

Limit Govt, limit its power and see a return to common sense.

a reply to: macman

I would agree with that, except when they need to get somewhere to do the job we pay them for. If we need them to go overseas to do work for us, they can't walk there. It's part of the job we pay them for. So in such a case, I can see flying them over, BUT certainly not first class, and we shouldn't be supplying their meals on top of paying them, what are we paying them for if we give them everything?

a reply to: Puppylove

Actually no reason we the taxpayers should double dip, we're already paying them once to do their job. So I take that back.

originally posted by: FamCore
a reply to: Puppylove

I love this bill and the purpose behind it.

It really IS a common sense idea, but there doesn't seem to BE much common sense with these policymakers anymore. Hopefully this one goes through, it would Definitely be a step in the right direction.

I have to agree. It is tempting to declare that these minimal targeted stunts won't get us over the hump and, while that is true, any movement toward minimal government is most welcome.

A relentless onslaught of legislative reduction, the very same strategy that has produced the corrupt and bloated regulatory and welfare state, will eventually work if we can survive that long.

originally posted by: greencmp

It is tempting to declare that these minimal targeted stunts won't get us over the hump...

I'll do it.

This is what people are concerned with? This is how our "leaders" are occupying their time... and they're applauded for it?

Do Americans want to be contemptuously manipulated and lied to? I don't get it. Sometimes I think people are subconsciously aware that the "hump" of which you speak is in fact insurmountable, and allow the leaders to perpetuate their "deception by distraction" so that they don't have to confront such uncomfortable ideas.

Most people are "blue pillers", I suppose.

originally posted by: Puppylove
I personally am more upset about people who already have it good, and already have tons of money living it up on our dime than anyone poor. These people don't need to be given a thing and we're renting cars for them that they drive for far longer than their job requires and flying them first class which is an unnecessary luxury. If they want to fly first class they can pay for it themselves with their fortunes, and if they want a car to go sightseeing and having fun in and not just get to where they're supposed to be for the job we pay them for, than they should damn well pay for it themselves.

Hate to put it to ya,but much of the business world flies Business/first class... It is somewhat a norm for many...Why does that upset you so much? Nothing like sitting jammed in a seat for 18 hours...over and over... You might see it as Luxury, but many do not...

a reply to: Puppylove

I actually agree with first class or business class for members of Congress. Have you ever seriously tried to get some work done while using a laptop in coach? There is almost no room. I have a 10" laptop I take with me for traveling, for use while sitting in the airplane among other things and even that is too large, typing productivity is significantly reduced. If we want them to work for us, we should be giving them the tools to actually do their jobs and staying out of coach is one of those.

Furthermore, what do you think is going to be the practical result out of them flying coach and having to use their own money for first class? That opens a door for a nice friendly corporation to move in and upgrade them in exchange for some consideration on a bill. Or worse yet, it pushes them right to a chartered flight on that corporations dime.

a reply to: Aazadan

We already pay them a ridiculous amount and whether we pay for their first class seats or not, they're already taking bribes from big business anyway. Don't tell me you're really so naive as to think this would make one iota of a difference that way.

They're double dipping into the taxpayers money plain and simple, and this barely scrapes the surface.

As long as we have people in the U.S that are poor, starving, and without homes or decent medical care, I don't want to hear a single politician has eaten out on our dime AND gotten paid as well on top of it, nor taken 1st class on our dime AND gotten paid on top of it. I'm for paying them ONCE not twice.

This isn't a corporation that needs to provide excess perks and benefits to keep and have as an incentive package.

In fact it should be illegal for any politician to accept contributions from any corporations any evidence that big business is influencing the politician in any way should result in stiff fines and/or criminal charges.

To anyone saying that this will result in less quality politicians I call bull# I'd rather have low quality that serves the public than the most skilled politician that serves big business.

The second politicians can NO LONGER benefit by big business, the second it becomes a crime, and policies that are actually enforced are put into place to weed out the influence of big businesses in government, the second being a politician means actually relying on our money and favor and putting us first I'll be happy to give them one hell of a raise.

Right now that's not what we're getting, they're all slaves to big business and we're paying them to serve the interests of big business and selling us out, while they also get paid by big business their true masters on top of it.

Frankly I'm sick and tired of paying politicians to rape me up the ass. The second they demonstrate that it's truly a mutually beneficial relationship and not this one sided take fest I'll be happy to pay them.

a reply to: Puppylove

Sorry, it took me a while to get to this, and it's late and I'm tired so this will be brief.

Like it or not, congressmen have a certain level of influence, and who that influence goes to largely has to do with two things:
1. Who will reelect them.
2. Who will pay them.

Any notions of cutting pay from members of congress are bad. The taxpayers essentially have their own lobby and it's called campaign funding. Their salary is our lobbying money. The corporations all have their own lobbying arms as well, campaign funding, nice dinners, vacation homes, do nothing jobs post congress, and so on. If we want congressmen to act in our favor rather than the favor of the corporations it not only means that we need to leave them with perks like first class (which actually has practical use) but that we need to pay them more overall.

They hold the power to vote in the laws they adhere to, they will never vote away a benefit. Instead the way to fight is by voting them more money than the corporations give them.

This would even work out well for us financially, as we would get better legislation for that money, which in turn would reduce spending as there would be fewer corporate favors going on.

What I just described is a very corrupt system, but that's the reality of our situation today. It is 100% corrupt, and you won't fix it through idealism. You can however work within it using what effectively amounts to bribes.

originally posted by: Xtrozero

originally posted by: Puppylove
I personally am more upset about people who already have it good, and already have tons of money living it up on our dime than anyone poor. These people don't need to be given a thing and we're renting cars for them that they drive for far longer than their job requires and flying them first class which is an unnecessary luxury. If they want to fly first class they can pay for it themselves with their fortunes, and if they want a car to go sightseeing and having fun in and not just get to where they're supposed to be for the job we pay them for, than they should damn well pay for it themselves.

Hate to put it to ya,but much of the business world flies Business/first class... It is somewhat a norm for many...Why does that upset you so much? Nothing like sitting jammed in a seat for 18 hours...over and over... You might see it as Luxury, but many do not...

We're upset so much because we're the ones having to pay for their frivolous luxuries whilst struggling to feed our families and pay our rents. They plunge citizens into destitution but award themselves huge pay rises with our money. They raise the retirement age for us all to work until we drop dead, but made sure they exempted just themselves from this new law. They underhandedly sneak laws through which benefit their private interests, they use taxpayer money to heat their paddocks for their horses but force the rest of us to freeze. They starve our NHS of our taxpayer cash but use that same cash to pay for their drugs and booze-fuelled kiddie-shagging parties. They make the unemployed dance like jesters for £70 quid a week for sustenance, whilst they gorge on £35 a pop breakfast paid for by us.

They force us to go through strict means-testing to claim taxpayer cash, if we have any money stashed we can't get a red cent, if we have a job with wages we can't claim anything - but they have personal fortunes AND salaries too, yet they claim from taxpayers but not for necessities, for frivolous luxuries, and they don't have to be means-tested for a penny of it.

They take the right piss considering most of them are dodging their own tax obligations and not paying into the pot they take so much from.

When we need taxpayer help it's 'benefits', when they claim it's 'expenses', two labels on the same jar.

They exempt themselves from living by the same tight rules they've inflicted on everyone else.

I'd better go, I'm starting to rant.

originally posted by: Aazadan
a reply to: Puppylove

Sorry, it took me a while to get to this, and it's late and I'm tired so this will be brief.

Like it or not, congressmen have a certain level of influence, and who that influence goes to largely has to do with two things:
1. Who will reelect them.
2. Who will pay them.

Any notions of cutting pay from members of congress are bad. The taxpayers essentially have their own lobby and it's called campaign funding. Their salary is our lobbying money. The corporations all have their own lobbying arms as well, campaign funding, nice dinners, vacation homes, do nothing jobs post congress, and so on. If we want congressmen to act in our favor rather than the favor of the corporations it not only means that we need to leave them with perks like first class (which actually has practical use) but that we need to pay them more overall.

They hold the power to vote in the laws they adhere to, they will never vote away a benefit. Instead the way to fight is by voting them more money than the corporations give them.

This would even work out well for us financially, as we would get better legislation for that money, which in turn would reduce spending as there would be fewer corporate favors going on.

What I just described is a very corrupt system, but that's the reality of our situation today. It is 100% corrupt, and you won't fix it through idealism. You can however work within it using what effectively amounts to bribes.

You'll never fix the system by making something as important as politics an excessively lucrative career like it is now. This is the reason politics is so corrupt in the first place, it attracts the wrong sort of people into these important positions of power and whose decisions affect every citizen's life, yet they're only in the job for personal gain.

If politics wasn't such a get-rich-quick job then the career-politicians would look elsewhere for a cushy career, and we might get people who really want to do the job properly.

Take all the expensive personal benefits and rewards out of politics altogether, make it illegal and instant jail for a politician to benefit financially except for a reasonable salary. Let's have some unselfish people in politics for a change.

a reply to: doobydoll

You said it all so well. Thank you so much for your contribution.