I want to scream. I JUST want to scream.

[Stinky The Clown]

I've been out of the loop for the last day or so. Now I see we're fucking CHARGING U.S. fucking CITIZENS for a fucking ride out of a fucking war zone.

CHARGING U.S. AMERI-fucking-CAN CITIZENS for a fucking EVACUATION.

Can ANYONE tell me why there's some basis for this? Anyone?

Yeah, we have the bushbaby eating with his maw open and groping a female head of state. That's just par for the course with this asshole.

CHARGING my fellow fucking CITIZENS for a ride out of Dodge? What the FUCK is that about??????

And for the privilege of paying for evacuation, they get out days and days after EVERY OTHER FUCKING COUNTRY gets their citizens out.

What's next? Charging troops for meals?

I just fucking HATE these motherfuckers.

[Ian David]

1. Personal Responsibility... Market Forces... you know...

Get the rich people out first.

Worked on The Titanic, right?

[gimama]

17. & Katrina 'evacuations'.

Call DC,& ask THEM wtf'n'stuff..the only wmd are these lizard-brained regressives & their dread-full,killing policies..used against OUR OWN PEOPLE.
I cannot accept that I am AGAIN yellin' at the tv,"Get those PEOPLE outta there!!!"
~good to be able to vent..BEFORE callin' dc;}

[Ian David]

18. Let's support this so that Bush keeps doing it and pisses off more people!

Nah...

Not a good idea.

[Botany]

2. have to

Because we are spending $250,000,000/day in Iraq

[spartan61]

3. Because "that's the law!"

That's what Tony Snowjob said today. Of course, this law went into effect in 2003. It is also the law to go to the FISA court to obtain a warrant to listen in to citizens' phone calls, but did they? What the hell, this administration only follows the laws that they like and ignore the others. What a bunch of asses!!

[C_U_L8R]

10. Since when did republicans obey the law

oh .. i see.. it's a republican law
well it's a stupid republican law
there's no surprise that republicans
are such self serving assholes

it's just pitiful and it's NOT RIGHT

[welshTerrier2]

4. charging troops for meals? don't be silly, Clown!!

the troops have no money for meals after spending what they did have on safety gear ... anyway, lots of occupations require workers to supply their own meals and work gear ...

get over it!!

[Totally Committed]

14. To be fair... they only charged troops for meals

AFTER they were wounded and in the hospital. Can't have a malingering soldier lying around collecting a paycheck, and not ante-ing up for his own chow. :sarcasm:

Geez... if I keep this up, I'll be screaming right along with you!

TC

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. Do you personally want to pay to get them out?

Nobody twisted their arms to vacation in the place.
I am as liberal as the next guy, but where does it end spending taxpayer money to bail out hapless
vacationers?

[Stinky The Clown]

6. Are you serious?

First off, how do you they're 'vacationing'?

Second, its a country's duty to protect their citizens. That inlcudes removing them from a bullseye. It is doubly important when Nero prefers to fiddle while that part of the world burns.

[The_Casual_Observer]

9. My opinion is that you go to places in the ME at your own risk.

Just my opinion.

[Totally Committed]

16. We pay taxes for this!

I'd much rather have my tax $$$ rescuing people than buying bombs and weapons to kill them. But, heh, that's only me....

TC

[The_Casual_Observer]

24. If given the choice, I would extend the college loan programs,

Instead of paying for this.

[karlrschneider]

8. I'll pay for 2 or 3. Where do I send the money?

I'm serious....were you?

[The_Casual_Observer]

12. I'll bet it wouldn't be that hard to find out. I'd start with the State

Department.

[boolean]

21. Unbelievable

How can you possibly justify that opinion?

Tell you what. How about taxes just get outlawed and let's all have no government whatsoever.

I wouldn't call you a liberal. Sounds like more of the same old uncompassionate conservative bullshit.

[The_Casual_Observer]

23. How about we spend tax money on the people who spend their time

right here in USA? If they paid to get out, let them pay to get back.

[karlrschneider]

7. Apparently it's a law passed in 03. No, I never heard of it either

probably was a rider attached to some pork-barrel bullshit that nobody noticed. Go figure.

[babylonsister]

11. Tony Snow job blamed it on the Congress; I do believe when

the dust settles, we'll be hearing a lot more about this new 'law'.

[karlrschneider]

13. I've been googling but so far no joy

Not that I believe Snowjob, just tryin'a find out the facts. Just the facts. :D

[babylonsister]

19. This indicates it's a state dept. directive, but I'm also looking...

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13903377/

snip//

State Department info
In statements e-mailed to Americans in Lebanon and posted on the embassy's Web site, the State Department has stressed "that the U.S. government does not provide no-cost transportation but does have the authority to provide repatriation loans to those in financial need. For the portion of your trip directly handled by the U.S. Government we will ask you to sign a promissory note and we will bill you at a later date."

The department added that "we will also work with commercial aircraft to ensure that they have adequate flights to help you depart Cyprus and connect to your final destination."

NBC News reported that it is standard procedure for the State Department to charge citizens fees for evacuations.

snip//

Edit to add: why are Sununu, Stabenow, and Pelosi so angry about these fees if they were responsible for instituting them? I'm thinking we indeed got a Snow job!

[karlrschneider]

22. It's one of the few times a 'slush fund' would be justified.

I wonder if that legislation was passed in the middle of the night 3 years ago. Still looking via Thomas...
got other stuff going on right now so not dedicated at the moment. Thanks for the note

[babylonsister]

27. Found on another thread:

Congress passed this in 2003 and most Democrats voted for it:

http://www.cbo.gov/showdoc.cfm?index=3825&sequence=0

Reimbursements for Emergency Overseas Evacuation. Section 201 would allow the State Department to seek reimbursements for the emergency evacuation of employees of the U.S. government, their dependents, private U.S. citizens, and foreign nationals. According to the department, this section of the bill codifies existing practice and would have no impact on the budget.



http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2001-121

Democrat Republican Independent
Aye 170 175 1
Nay 35 36 2
Absent 3 3 0

[LiberalEsto]

15. Naturally

This helps give the filthy rich a bigger tax cut!

:bounce:

[pdxmom]

20. So what if it's a law? Hasn't Bush shown that he's more than willing

to ignore the laws if it's to keep Americans safe? What a flippin' hypocrite! Break the law and hide it when it suits your agenda, but take no responsibilities for laws that you've signed if it suits your agenda.

I think it's probably plain ol' bigotry. Make the brown people visiting their family in the Middle East pay to get back here.

I HATE the Reich Wing.

[Stinky The Clown]

25. I just heard on Olberman they're gunna waive the fee

Musta been that shit they took from the Dems today. This is one time when our 'whining' made a change.

[Auntie Bush]

28. Maybe they read your OP. It was pretty impressive.

[proud patriot]

26. Billions for Iraq

and we are charging Americans to escape a war zone .

Disgustions example of how our gov. serves corperate
masters and not the People .

Don't Tread On Me