WASHINGTON - Four years after Congress imposed restrictions on travel funded by outside groups, federal lawmakers are frequent fliers again, taking 415 privately funded trips between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30 - a nearly 75% jump in the number of trips they took during the same period in 2010, records show. The value of the trips exceeds $3.1 million, making it the most expensive year of travel since Congress enacted ethics rules in 2007 aimed at clamping down on lobbyist-funded trips, according to a USA TODAY review of congressional travel records compiled by the non-partisan CQ MoneyLine...... http://www.wtsp.com/news/topstories/article/218488/250/Despite-rules-Congress-travel-takes-big-jump
The only congressman I know who's never been on a junket is Ron Paul. The guy is so honest he just embarrasses all the other politicians. No wonder they hate him.
They will only back and bankroll those who they have dirt on. Blackmail is a big part of doing business in that cesspool.
Taxpayers pay for it many times over. Cost of junket to lobbyist: $4000 Amount of taxpayer's money sent to lobbyist's cause: $8,000,000. Return on investment: 200,000%
I agree. The powers that be want somebody they can control. The video of a politician in bed with a boy won't surface so long as he does what he's told.
Wouldn't it be cheaper to see the world as a private citizen than spending millions of dollars getting elected, just to see the world at taxpayer expense?