* socking it to taxpayers for campaign trips, many more to come

[dajoki]

MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14588025/

Taxpayers pay for Bush's campaign travel
Presidential sojourns expected to increase as November elections near

Updated: 5:31 p.m. ET Aug 30, 2006

WASHINGTON - Bankrolled almost entirely by taxpayers, President Bush is roaming far and wide on Air Force One to help Republicans retain control of Congress and capture statehouse contests in high-stakes midterm elections.

In 15 months, including back-to-back fundraisers Wednesday in Little Rock, Ark., and Nashville, Tenn., Bush has collected $166 million for the campaign accounts of 27 Republican candidates, the national GOP and its state counterparts across the country, according to the Republican National Committee.

High-dollar Washington galas headlined by the fundraiser-in-chief brought in a big share of the total. The president also has scooped up campaign cash in 36 cities, travels that have taken him as near as McLean, Va., in the Washington suburbs and as far as Medina, Wash., 2,800 miles to the west. On Thursday, Bush adds yet another locale to the list: Salt Lake City.

Travel expected to increase
All this to-and-fro presidential politicking is only expected to increase as November draws closer. And it is the taxpayers, not the campaigns or political parties, who foot most of the travel bill.

When Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, first lady Laura Bush or any federal official helps a candidate, Federal Election Commission guidelines say the campaign must reimburse the government only the equivalent of a first-class fare for each political traveler on each leg of the trip. Typically, that means paying a few hundred or at most a few thousand dollars to cover the president and a couple of aides from the White House Office of Political Affairs.

[opihimoimoi]

1. Its Not Fair, Not Right, and Not what the Taxpayers had in Mind...

Once more the rich rub our noses in the road dung...

[NVMojo]

2. I hated these people and what they do on my dime for years ...

money for campaigning but not for NOLA, etc.

[dajoki]

5. plus other cuts in programs for the poor n/t

[FILAM23]

3. Done by every president

at every election, regardless of party

[dajoki]

4. True...

But you know this crew is taking it to, and maybe, over the limit.

The White House deems staffers from any other office "official," eliminating any need for campaigns to cover their travel.

[pushycat]

6. So? It still stinks. My tax dollars s/b spent on gov biz, NOT PR !!!