IF

this doesn't infuriate you, nothing will.

It would seem that the assholes running Congress, the same assholes who chastised the big 3's execs for flying on private planes to speak to Congress, are spending a metric ass ton of our money on fun trips across the world.



Take a look at that chart, folks - that's OUR money these people are spending - 12.5 million dollars! Up significantly since the Democrats took over congress in 2006.

Lawmakers say that the trips are a good use of government funds because they allow members of Congress and their staff members to learn more about the world, inspect U.S. assets abroad and forge better working relationships with each other.

In mid-June, Sen. Daniel Inouye (D., Hawaii) led a group of a half-dozen senators and their spouses on a four-day trip to France for the biennial Paris Air Show. An itinerary for the event shows that lawmakers flew on the Air Force's version of the Boeing 737, which costs $5,700 an hour to operate. They stayed at the Intercontinental Paris Le Grand Hotel, which advertises rooms from $460 a night.

That's right, dear readers. The rooms STARTED at $460 a night. How much do you spend on your vacations?

Often, lawmakers combine trips to war zones with visits to more tranquil spots. In February, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led a delegation of Democratic lawmakers to visit U.S. troops in Afghanistan for a day. Before landing in Kabul, the eight lawmakers and their entourage of spouses and aides spent eight days in Italy, spending $57,697 on hotels and meals.

Think about this, folks. 8 days and nearly 60 grand of OUR money these weasels are spending! That's over 7 grand a day. How much do YOU spend on YOUR vacation?

It's not just the Democrats either, folks.

In October, Rep. Bud Cramer (R., Ala.) spent two weeks in Europe on government business. Reports show that Mr. Cramer spent $5,700 on hotels, meals and incidentals. Mr. Cramer wasn't running for re-election and left office just two months later.

"Knowing that I was leaving with my 18 years of seniority, I wanted to conclude some issues that I was working on," Mr. Cramer said. He now works for a lobbying firm in Washington.

Yeah, where I come from, Congressman, that's called bullshit.

These people get to Washington and forget they work for us. They have become our country's aristocracy, and they act like it.