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Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) wanted to fly 10 lawmakers down to the Gulf of Mexico to see the damage caused by BP’s gigantic oil spill first hand.

House Democrats said no.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/06 ... z0sMKtRAuv

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You'd think if it was that important to them they would pay their own way and deal with the reimbursement or tax deduction later, and if they don't get reimbursed, well then its money well spent, I'd say. But no, they have to make a public show out of everything and the hysterical media just laps it up. Must be an election year.

You don't need to see an actual train wreck to know that there should be regulation of the railroad industry.

So why do they need to see the oil spill?

Well, I can think of one reason: We THINK we know how bad a train wreck can be. But it might do the people regulating the train industry some good to attend the scene of a crash and see the TRUE horror. Same in the BP case?

Clodhopper;1320085 wrote: Well, I can think of one reason: We THINK we know how bad a train wreck can be. But it might do the people regulating the train industry some good to attend the scene of a crash and see the TRUE horror. Same in the BP case?


True, to a degree. But the congress is not going to actually do the regulating. They are only discussing setting up a regulatry authority that can do the regulating.

All they need to do is allocate the funds and set up the authority and accountablilty parameters.

Then, those who will actually be doing the regulating need to understand what happens when they fail to do their job properly. So, the REGULATORS, themselves, are the ones who need to see the mess.

I know that whenever I have been involved in cleaning up a mess, the LAST thing we needed around was a bunch of legislators taking a tour at the taxpayer's expense, to see how we were doing.

Good point. The regulators really do need to see the sort of thing they will be dealing with. But I would have thought it would do no harm for those who will "allocate the funds and set up the authority and accountablilty parameters" to see the real problem and thus set up worthwhile parameters, delegate meaningful authority and allocate suitable funds...

Or would this just lead to over-reaction?

There real problem is that these people can't just take a bus down to the site, and stay in an inexpensive place like a Super8 in a town up the road and out of the way, take a few notes and go home to think about the task at hand.

They have to bring their entourage, who finds the best lodging that can be had, right in the middle of the area, and then the whole crew demands the time, and attention of those trying to do the work, consumes valuable resources that are hard to come by, interferes with the work at hand in every way imaginable, and then they go home and turn it into another partisan tool to beat up the other side of the aisle, leaving the problem basically in the same state they found it.

In other words, the politicians use it as a publicity stunt rather than regard it as the reason for their existence. Great.

Are they really all that bad? You've not had any turn up on the quiet and look the situation over?

Clodhopper;1320262 wrote: In other words, the politicians use it as a publicity stunt rather than regard it as the reason for their existence. Great.

Are they really all that bad? You've not had any turn up on the quiet and look the situation over?


I am sure that some have done so.

These are usually the local rep or state Senator trying to find out what is really going on, and how they can best help their constituents.

They usually do so on their own dime, and not using public money to make an excursion out of it.

And what is it all these 'children' have in common? They were all educated through the American educational system and all profess to be religious. So lets continue our support and participation for both of these institutions, shall we.

Tombstone;1319964 wrote: Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) wanted to fly 10 lawmakers down to the Gulf of Mexico to see the damage caused by BP’s gigantic oil spill first hand.

House Democrats said no.

Read more: Oil spill visits get partisan - Jake Sherman - POLITICO.com


Oh wahh wahh. All the Dems did was keep yet another smarmy Republican from grandstanding on the backs of children.

Oh yay. Another partisan.

Glad to meet you anyway. :yh_bigsmi