Nothing says it better than airplanes:
I have made it. I am now a member of an elite ruling class. I fly private. Unlike Joe Sixpack, I don’t have to suffer a TSA grope wait in long lines with the dregs of society or impolite constituents. I have an airplane.”
What is it with Democrats and their airplanes? Recently, news reports revealed Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) billed taxpayers for personal flights on her personal airplane. Some local media, doing the work that the national media finds distasteful (investigating Democrats), discovered more trickery and deceit, forcing Claire Bear to admit that she failed to pay over $200,000 in ad valorem property taxes on her plane, a $2.2 million dollar 2001 single-engine turbo-prop Pilatus PC-12.
“Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo) said Monday she will sell her private plane and pay back $287,273 in four years of back taxes, the latest chapter in a politically embarrassing saga for the moderate Democrat facing a tough reelection battle in 2012."
McCaskill has been answering questions about the plane since POLITICO recently reported that she billed taxpayers for a political trip around Missouri. POLITICO also reported that McCaskill spent $76,000 from her Senate budget on trips on the aircraft over the past four years, prompting the senator to refund the Treasury Department more than $88,000 for the cost of the trips plus pilot fees. “
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0311/51675.html Before this airplane incident, Claire Bear’s popularity with Missouri voters was fading. Some even dared to say she was toast for 2012. I would say she is burnt toast for 2012.
In North Carolina, the present Democratic Governor Beverly Perdue, has to answer her own airplane questions. When a politician flies on a private plane for political purposes, the flight is required to be reported as a campaign ‘gift’ or contribution. Perdue's campaign completed a yearlong internal audit that uncovered 31 previously undisclosed flights on private aircraft valued at more than $25,000.00. This prompted our local Republicans to compare Bev’s unreported flights with the flights of former Democratic Governor, Mike Easley:
“Republicans argue the disclosures aren't much different from Easley's flights, which also have been investigated by federal prosecutors. A local district attorney is also examining elections board evidence to determine whether Easley or others should face criminal charges."
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=7247847Yeah. You might say the former popular NC Governor Mike Easley had a problem with airplanes. Months before the Feds filed criminal charges against Easley, the State Board of Elections fined Easley's campaign committee $100,000 for failing to disclose several dozen flights from 1999 through 2004 piloted by a close political ally. Those flights were revealed during a board probe into Easley and the state Democratic Party. The board valued the flights at $60,000.
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=7247847Ouch. Then it got worse for Easley as he entered a guilty plea in Federal Court in Raleigh, North Carolina, to end a two year long investigation into corruption, favoritism and Old Boy Network cronyism:
“When Mike Easley was sworn into office as governor for his second term in January 2005, the world seemed to lie at his feet. He was the Southeast's only two-term Democratic governor; political operatives whispered about a future bid for president. Five years later, Easley is a felon. His transgression seemed like a simple booking error: failing to properly file campaign finance reports. But the two-year criminal investigation revealed a classic political scandal: popular politician undone by gifts and favors. In his case, a discounted vacation lot, loaned cars and campaign contributions used for home repairs.”
http://www.thepilot.com/news/2010/dec/05/the-long-odd-arc-of-mike-easley/Dang. It’s like airplanes are the gateway drug into corruption, tax evasion and political malfeasance.
It’s not like the President doesn’t have a thing for the Power of the Plane. When the Obama family decided to vacation in Massachusetts last summer, the local airport was too small for AF-1, so their dog could not fly with them. No problema, senors y senioritas. The taxpayers shelled out tens of thousands to fly old Bo on his own plane:
"Obama Arriving in a small jet before the Obamas was the first dog, Bo, a Portuguese water dog given as a present by the late U.S. Sen Ted Kennedy, D-Mass.; and the president's personal aide Reggie Love, who chatted with Baldacci.and Planes”
http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/white-house-wanderers-tour-acadia_2010-07-16.htmlTo be fair, former Republican Governor Mark Sanford (SC) had problems with plane trips. He was asked by his own party members and Democrats to resign because of Sanford’s use of state airplanes for personal and political events and his failure to report private plane trips by donors and friends. At least the taxpayers weren’t the ones getting screwed by Sanford on those trips.