Is this really necessary now? They have no regard for their wasteful spending even when the economy is suffering.

For the complete story, read today's (08/05) Drudge Report.

House Orders Up Three Elite Jets

Last year, lawmakers excoriated the CEOs of the Big Three automakers for traveling to Washington, D.C., by private jet to attend a hearing about a possible bailout of their companies.

But apparently Congress is not philosophically averse to private air travel (Of course not...just for everyone but themselves, the selfish pigs): At the end of July, the House approved nearly $200 million for the Air Force to buy three elite Gulfstream jets for ferrying top government officials and Members of Congress.

The Air Force had asked for one Gulfstream 550 jet (price tag: about $65 million) as part of an ongoing upgrade of its passenger air service.

But the House Appropriations Committee, (David Obey, Dem - Wisconsin, Chair. Thanks David..that's keeping a watchful eye on wasteful gov't spending) at its own initiative, added to the 2010 Defense appropriations bill another $132 million for two more airplanes and specified that they be assigned to the D.C.-area units that carry Members of Congress, military brass and top government officials.(Nuttin' but the best for them!)

Because the Appropriations Committee viewed the additional aircraft as an expansion of an existing Defense Department program, it did not treat the money for two more planes as an earmark, and the legislation does not disclose which Member (why not?) had requested the additional money. So where's the total transparency that B.O. promised us taxpayers?

An Appropriations Committee staffer said the military was already planning to replace its passenger fleet, and the committee “looked at the request and decided they should speed up the replacement.” Sure, no better time than when the country is in a deep recession to beef up more gov't spending. WTF!

The Gulfstream G550 is a luxury business jet, which the company advertises as featuring long-range flight capacity that “easily links Washington, D.C., with Dubai, London with Singapore and Tokyo with Paris.” The company’s promotional materials say, “The cabin aboard the G550 combines productivity with exceptional comfort. It features up to four distinct living areas, three temperature zones, a choice of 12 floor plan configurations with seating for up to 18 passengers.” (I guess that's so they can bring along their families, big supporters and golfing buddies).

The version Gulfstream sells to the military is reconfigured for the government with modest accommodations, not the luxury version sold to private customers, said a source familiar with the planes. (Yeah, screw the military. They're not as important as we are anyway).

Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.) had submitted a request to the Appropriations Committee for a $70 million earmark for one airplane on behalf of Georgia-based Gulfstream, and Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) lists the airplane as one of the earmarks that he was asked to request, though his office said he never made the request to the Appropriations Committee. (Earmarks? What Earmarks? Remember B.O. saying there were no earmarks in the Stimulus Bill?)