What's wrong with coach?
The not-so-frugal traveler: Ron Paul flies first class — and taxpayers pick upthe bill
Despite his supposed frugality, Ron Paul doesn't like to skimp on the luxuries. The same man whose famous "Plan to Restore America" includes an ambitious $1 trillion cut in federal spending during the first year of a Paul Presidency prefers to fly first class.
The Associated Press is reporting that Congressman Paul spent $51,972 on first-class airfare — more than twice the average coach airfare on Continental Airlines — during the period of May 2009 and March 2011, on 31 round-trip flights and 12 one-way flights between Houston and Washington, D.C.
Of course a campaign requires extensive — and often expensive — travel, but when will politicians learn to practice what they preach?
This, on the taxpayers' dime, at a time when American travelers were stingy with their own funds.
Paul's congressional staff claims that he "chose not to buy the cheaper economy tickets at a fraction of the price because they aren't refundable or as flexible for scheduling."
But an Associated Press review found that "most of the flights for Paul were purchased well in advance and few schedule changes were necessary. Nearly two-thirds of the 49 tickets were purchased at least two weeks in advance, and 42 percent were bought at least three weeks in advance."
Paul is just one in a list of candidates that are less than frugal in their travel spending habits.
Michele Bachmann's congressional travel reports were similarly reviewed, and she, "like most other congressional members, also paid the more expensive government rate for airfare."
Rick Perry has accepted more than 200 flights (totaling over $1.3 million) from corporations and private donors during his time as Texas governor, and of spending an unrivaled amount on private jet expenses during the first months of his campaign.
Newt Gingrich made the early mistake of overspending on private jets, which contributed to his campaign's debt.
Despite Mitt Romney's tweet about an "easy flight" on Southwest Airlines, the Republican front runner has come under scrutiny for spending hundreds of thousands more on private planes than commercial flights.
Of course a campaign requires extensive — and often expensive — travel, but when will politicians learn to practice what they preach?
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