I'm Curious, And Feeling Lazy

N

nasum

CAGiversary!
So when you get a knucklehead like Michele Bachman who is clearly running for president about 20 months ahead of the election, how does her travel to all of these events get paid? Arguably it'd all be tax dollars since she's paid in tax dollars so if it's her own money then it's still taxes etc... So, is it the person's own money or is there some additional funds going to someone in the Senate or the House if they're running for a presidential bid?

I've always wondered that, but can't seem to be bothered to look it up at the moment.
 
So when you get a knucklehead like Barack Obama who is clearly running for president about 20 months ahead of the election, how does his travel to all of these events get paid? Arguably it'd all be tax dollars since he's paid in tax dollars so if it's his own money then it's still taxes etc... So, is it the person's own money or is there some additional funds going to someone in the Senate or the House if they're running for a presidential bid?

I've always wondered that, but can't seem to be bothered to look it up at the moment.
 
[quote name='perdition(troy']So when you get a knucklehead like Barack Obama who is clearly running for president about 20 months ahead of the election, how does his travel to all of these events get paid? Arguably it'd all be tax dollars since he's paid in tax dollars so if it's his own money then it's still taxes etc... So, is it the person's own money or is there some additional funds going to someone in the Senate or the House if they're running for a presidential bid?

I've always wondered that, but can't seem to be bothered to look it up at the moment.[/QUOTE]

Thanks, TP! This was fun, we should do it again sometime!
 
[quote name='nasum']So when you get a knucklehead like Michele Bachman who is clearly running for president about 20 months ahead of the election, how does her travel to all of these events get paid? Arguably it'd all be tax dollars since she's paid in tax dollars so if it's her own money then it's still taxes etc... So, is it the person's own money or is there some additional funds going to someone in the Senate or the House if they're running for a presidential bid?

I've always wondered that, but can't seem to be bothered to look it up at the moment.[/QUOTE]

a candidate establishes an exploratory committee which allows them to raise funds for a possible run to office. for instance, you might have read in the news yesterday that romney made his committee.

before that however, it would hopefully be on their own dime. but as we've seen before many many politicians travel and take their families on the tax payer's dime.
 
perdition(Troy:
Obama started his campaign for the 2008 election in what, 2004? Lots of wasted time there, but he's not as much of a waste as Bachmann... Oh well, Palin/Bachman 2012! Becuase the world is going to end anyways.

Rams:
Yeah, I get the exploratory comittee thing. But, not to pick on such an easy target, MB has been going to (R) caucus states at the clip of about two a week and as far as I'm aware there is no exploratory committee there. For someone who runs around with a finger ready to point at wasteful govt spending, she seems to spend a lot making these appearences.
 
[quote name='nasum']
Rams:
Yeah, I get the exploratory comittee thing. But, not to pick on such an easy target, MB has been going to (R) caucus states at the clip of about two a week and as far as I'm aware there is no exploratory committee there. For someone who runs around with a finger ready to point at wasteful govt spending, she seems to spend a lot making these appearences.[/QUOTE]

i know that reports come out showing travel expenses for members of congress, but i dont know how detailed they get and whether or not they get into the individual trips for congress. but thats where you can look. there probably wouldnt be any detailed for bachman yet.

but it sounds like you're asking a question that can't really really be answered. if you just want to bash bachman then there's already a "stay classy" thread that you can do that in.
 
I can't remember the latest Bachmann post in the 'stay classy' thread. She's really the low hanging fruit at this point, it would be like kicking a puppy.

[quote name='perdition(troy']So when you get a knucklehead like Barack Obama who is clearly running for president about 20 months ahead of the election, how does his travel to all of these events get paid? Arguably it'd all be tax dollars since he's paid in tax dollars so if it's his own money then it's still taxes etc... So, is it the person's own money or is there some additional funds going to someone in the Senate or the House if they're running for a presidential bid?

I've always wondered that, but can't seem to be bothered to look it up at the moment.[/QUOTE]

Just like Republican whining about deficits and spending, you're 4+ years late.
 
Which is worse - candidates who travel to campaign for themselves on the public dime or candidates who travel to campaign for other candidates on the public dime?

[quote name='IRHari']Just like Republican whining about deficits and spending, you're 4+ years late.[/QUOTE]

Just like Democratic Congress members who voted for military action in Iraq and now whine about it - several years and several lives too late.
 
I'm talking about Republicans in general, which includes general pop + politicians. YOu're talking about members of Congress. Here's some powerful insight from a brilliant man:

[quote name='God']You want consistency? From politicians?

The only thing that's consistent is that politicians will do what they can that they believe will get them in power and keep them in power.[/QUOTE]
 
The exploratory committee allows them to raise money. Obama, Bachmann, etc. announce this early so they can begin. I think they pay for going to a fundraiser unless they had "official" business in that town.

So if Obama/Bachmann already planned on going to say Cleveland on official business, then they can hit a fundraiser while they're there. The "official business" seems to be a very easy way to skirt the intention of the rules though. Bush was pretty famous for doing that. He never really went anywhere during his presidency until it was reelection time, then suddenly he had official business all over the country, particularly in the purple states.

But they all do it to some degree.
 
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