3 thoughts on “the best government that money can buy.”

1. This trip sounds like it’s completely kosher — separate plates for both the Republicans and Democrats with no chance whatsoever of even unintentional mixing.

   You’re just trying to make this influence purchasing into something akin to sharia — it isn’t.  It’s not like most of the 81 congresspersons had any plans to face, or God forbid, listen to their voters.

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2. AIPAC is picking up the tab for the entire trip (but let’s not talk about their influence on our congressional body because that could be contentious.)

   And where does it say in your linked article that these folks on their awesome vacation aren’t coming back, after their little road trip, to their districts to “face constituents and take questions?”
   

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   1. Unlike a proper congressional trip, we’re told that the AIPAC foundation “runs [the members] pretty good.”  There will be breakfast speakers, dinner speakers, Q&A’s with U.S. Embassy folks and Israeli media. There will be appearances by government leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (ask him about those recent demonstrations) and President Shimon Peres, as well as by opposition leaders. The schedule is packed from morning to late at night.

      the group will head to the West Bank to chat with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and other leaders.

      I’m sure AIPAC is presenting mainly pro-Israel info, but including meetings with the Palestinian Prez & PM is far more balanced than most such trips.  Ask Congressfolks going on coal industry junkets if there are speeches by the Prez & the COO of Greenpeace 🙂

      Frankly, if all trips were like this, that’s a pretty good use of Congressmember time, and not just a free $X thousand vacation that’s basically identical to a $X thousand stack of cash.  The main trips that are sketchy are the ones with no substance (which are corrupt donations) or the ones that are wholly one-sided.

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