In a time of economic troubles and soaring deficits, after reading this article I have to wonder how much money Nancy Pelosi's trip to Italy is costing the US taxpayer:
An eight-member congressional delegation began a weeklong trip to Italy on Saturday by stopping briefly at the home of the 31st Fighter Wing.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and seven other members of Congress — all Democrats — spent about three hours on base. They received a briefing from Brig. Gen. Craig Franklin, the wing commander, and talked for a few minutes with some of their constituents. Pelosi also pinned a Bronze Star Medal on Tech. Sgt. Phoebus Lazaridis in a ceremony at the base’s personnel alert holding area.
"My colleagues and I would like you to know how proud we are of you," Pelosi told assembled airmen during brief remarks at the end of the ceremony. She said President Barack Obama had phoned her right before the trip began and asked her to also pass along his greetings to the servicemembers the delegation met. [Stars & Stripes]
The delegation is in Italy to attend a World War II commemoration on Sunday. So to attend a service she needs to bring eight people and their staff for a week in Italy. Do eight people really need to go? Why not two? Do they need to be there an entire week charging their hotel rooms and per diem on the US tax payer?
It is ironic she decides to go on her Italian tax payer funded vacation after signing the biggest government spending bill in history? Well she appears to be doing her part to spend government money.
Admiral Yi Sun-shin
