Slog
News & ArtsMonday, January 16, 2012
2012 Ron Paul Flies First Class on the People's Dime
Posted by Paul Constant on Mon, Jan 16, 2012 at 1:45 PM
Well, look who's all fancy!
An Associated Press report published Monday found that since May 2009, [Ron] Paul had billed taxpayers for 31 round-trip flights and 12 one-way flights, all first class.
In all, taxpayers paid $52,000 for flights where cheaper tickets were available. AP found that Paul’s office could have saved $27,621 by selecting economy tickets instead.
Ron Paul feels very strongly that taxpayer-funded first class airfare is protected in the Constitution, as the Founding Fathers intended. You can find it right next to the clause that outlaws abortion, I think.
3
Of course, Romney will never be accused of this.
A real JobCreator wouldn't be caught dead traveling anywhere in someone else's airplane!
A real JobCreator wouldn't be caught dead traveling anywhere in someone else's airplane!
5
Heh. Pelosi charters her own fucking plane. I don't think you're gonna get much mileage out of this one.
6
First, Ron Paul returns $100K+ every year back to treasury. Last year, it was $140,000. To me it looks like his is very frugal with taxpayer money.
Second, Ron Paul position is to remove abortion from federal juristdication so that federal govt has no say in either promoting or banning abortions. Which seems correct, see article 1 secion 8 for the list of enumerated federal powers.
Second, Ron Paul position is to remove abortion from federal juristdication so that federal govt has no say in either promoting or banning abortions. Which seems correct, see article 1 secion 8 for the list of enumerated federal powers.
7
@5 You just don't get it, do you? The difference here is that Ron Paul makes his dime off of preaching on the oppression of government. Pelosi does not. It's the hypocrisy, not the act.
God, I feel like I'm talking to pre-schoolers here.
God, I feel like I'm talking to pre-schoolers here.
8
@2 If I were Patty Murray's size I'd fly coach too. No slam against our capable senior Senator, but a slam against the "there is no such thing as a longlegged woman over 5'9" designs for American domestic coach seating.
9
Washington's worst! How could the morons who drool over Paul possibly excuse such blatant extravagance? Disgusting!
10
Oh, I get it just fine, @7. When someone you don't like does something a little over the top, you've got a problem with it. When someone you like does something completely outrageous, it's all cool. I'm reading you loud and clear.
11
5280 dear, when Nancy Pelosi was speaker of the house, it is my understanding that she was required to fly private, as she was third in line in case something unfortunate happened to the President and VP.
If nowadays she is chartering private flights and paying for it herself, more power to her. It's her money, after all. But If she is doing that or flying first class, and charging it to the government, your point is valid.
As for Ron Paul, Mother Vel-DuRay and I were just discussing him. She likes him - not enough to vote for him, but still likes him - because of his pro-life creds (even though she herself is what I would best describe as reluctantly pro-choice)
The basis of her affection is a story she heard about how he supposedly witnessed an abortion while doing his medical internship, which put him off the procedure. . He was born in PA in 1935, which would have put him in med school at Duke in the late 50's - early 60's. What are the odds that he would have witnessed a hospital abortion?
If nowadays she is chartering private flights and paying for it herself, more power to her. It's her money, after all. But If she is doing that or flying first class, and charging it to the government, your point is valid.
As for Ron Paul, Mother Vel-DuRay and I were just discussing him. She likes him - not enough to vote for him, but still likes him - because of his pro-life creds (even though she herself is what I would best describe as reluctantly pro-choice)
The basis of her affection is a story she heard about how he supposedly witnessed an abortion while doing his medical internship, which put him off the procedure. . He was born in PA in 1935, which would have put him in med school at Duke in the late 50's - early 60's. What are the odds that he would have witnessed a hospital abortion?
12
what you nutty Rand Paul supporters fail to recognize is the importance of globalism and keeping a perpetual military presence in the mid east. I mean look at the advances in lifestyle that walmart and mcdonalds have brought to our own poor folk. Have you seen the way these cultures treat women and homosexuals? Come on people; our native americans didn't civilize themselves!
15
This is silly. Full fare tickets that are refundable are typically upgraded to first class anyway because it constitutes the most revenue to the airline. Both Romney and Perry, for example, flew in private jets. Think first class is expensive? Private jets start at like $4600/hr.
16
This story was debunked by real journalists but don't let me stop you from your constant Ron Paul bashing because of your one issue voting. Albeit some random internet person needs to tell you that not a single dime of the tax payer money has been spent on Ron Paul's first class tickets, which have only come from the times he earned enough miles flying all the coach (with flight security because congress never does anything on time) he needs eventually they let him upgrade to first class, ON EITHER THE AIRLINE'S DIME OR PAUL'S DIME. But don't let that stop you from hating Ron Paul for this, I'm sure you'll find something next week that's just as stupid and meaningless and not well researched.
Advertisement
Most Commented on Slog
-
Hating People Doesn't Make Them Thinner by Jen Graves
-
Los Angeles Gay Bar Bans Bachelorette Parties Until Marriage Equality Is Attained by David Schmader
-
Fill in the Blank by Grant Brissey
-
This Reminds Me of the Great Calculator Scare of the Late '70s/Early '80s by David Schmader
-
Idiot Tries to Defend Bigoted Anti-Gay-Marriage Preacher on Anderson Cooper by Paul Constant
-
Six Moms with Too Much Time on Their Hands and a Shitty Website Decide to Fight Gay Superheroes by Paul Constant
-
The Sunday Morning News by Unpaid Intern
-
What the Hell Is Wrong With Seattle's Pride Parade? by Dominic Holden
-
The Saturday Morning News by Unpaid Intern
-
Why Mayor McGinn's Wife Canceled Her Family's Seattle Times Subscription by Eli Sanders
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
Comments (16) RSS