READ THIS what the actual law everyone is so upset about says:

[rzemanfl]

22 U.S.C. sec. 2671

(2) Activities described in paragraph (1) include--


(A) the evacuation when their lives are endangered by war, civil unrest, or natural disaster of--

(i) United States Government employees and their dependents; and

(ii) private United States citizens or third-country nationals, on a reimbursable basis to the maximum extent practicable, with such reimbursements to be credited to the applicable Department of State appropriation and to remain available until expended, except that no reimbursement under this clause shall be paid that is greater than the amount the person evacuated would have been charged for a reasonable commercial air fare immediately prior to the events giving rise to the evacuation; (emphasis supplied)

You'd think someone would have noted this.

Not that I am trying to defend the assholes in the Bush administration but this law is not as bad as it has been portrayed. Who the hell had the stupid promissory note idea?

[LA lady]

1. Help, I am confused.

I am confused. This was passed overwhelmingly by both parties. What is the deal with the promissary note? At least there isn't a no pay; no go policy?

[rzemanfl]

6. There is no mention of a promissory note in the law. These

people could have been billed later for the price of airfare from Lebanon to Cyprus at the pre-War price (which is the maximum allowed under the law). Again the Republicans demonstrate their incompetence and arrogance.

[MADem]

8. There has NEVER been a no pay, no go policy. You DO owe the

government if you take the ride.

And they will get it out of your tax return, if they have to.

[clydefrand]

2. Breaking news from CNN concerning this issue.

Evacuation fees for Americans being helped to leave Lebanon will be waived, aides to two Republican senators tell CNN.


Just read this on CNN; did not hear it.

[MADem]

10. What this means is they don't pay, WE do.

It comes out of the Federal treasury, it ain't "free." Some other expenditure will either have to be cut, or taxes will be inched up a few pennies per, to pay for it.

[rzemanfl]

12. And the Republicans once again ignore a law passed by

Congress to gain a political advantage (or at least minimize the damage they have already incurred). If some reasonable person had explained what the law really says at the beginning I think this would not have turned into a firestorm. On the other hand, it did serve as a distraction from how slow Bushco was to respond to the crisis.

[MADem]

14. Yeah, just take it out of school lunch money, or medicare part D!!!

Or, what the hell, the VA~~~~!!!!!!!

But APPEAR compassionately conservative!!!!

And idiots BUY that! It's really sad, isn't it!

I did try to explain the law, because I understood it. But somehow, this life long Dem suddenly became a suspicious neocon because I didn't think it was an onerous expectation...just because I've been versed in NEO for decades, and have worked a few of them, in fact!!

[Sherman A1]

13. Agreed

Unfortunately there is no free lunch in this world. Any expenditure of resources has to be accounted for in some means.

[acmavm]

3. It is every bit as bad as its been portrayed to be. No government

of any nation should, in a time of war or whatever the hell you want to call this carnage, abandons its citizens. Especially, and I do mean especially if part of the reason for the carnage is that this government BACKS the renegade nation who is doing all the killing.

That law states that IF YOU CAN'T RANSOM YOUR WAY OUT OF THE KILLING GROUNDS then that's just tough cookies.

[rzemanfl]

15. "reimbursable basis to the maximum extent practicable" sounds

to me more like "pay if you can" than it does "pay or die" and I am sure that's what all the Dems who voted for this thought it meant.

[Demit]

4. Is this what you're talking about?--

Straight off the US Embassy website--

A message to the American citizens in Lebanon:

The Department of State continues to work with the Department of Defense on a plan to help American citizens depart Lebanon. As of the morning of July 15, we are looking at how we might transport Americans to Cyprus. Once in Cyprus, Americans can then board commercial aircraft for onward travel. Commercial airlines provide the safest and most efficient repatriation options to final destinations.

The Department of State reminds American citizens 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. In a subsequent message, when we have specific details about the transporation arrangments, we will inform you about the costs you will incur.

http://beirut.usembassy.gov/lebanon/Lebanon_Situation_Update.html

[Rose Siding]

5. I'm with France and Sweden and Canada on this one

I don't think that law is reasonable at all. That's air fare on top of whatever travel arrangements made by tourists (whose formerly purchased tix would be worthless)

If Americans live in Lebanon, presumably that's to the benefit of the US economy and they pay taxes. The tourists certainly do. The govt's function is to keep citizens safe.

[rzemanfl]

7. I'm not backing the Repukes on this, just saying that the stories

about $10,000 promissory notes are out of line.

[Minnesota Libra]

9. The heck it isn't as bad as it sounds. Since when do Americans...........

....charge fellow Americans who need rescued - isn't that what the Red Cross has been for??? Up until Katrina anyway. Yes, I think the idea of charging Americans who need rescued is as bad as we thought. This is the kind of thing I expect my tax dollars to go for - not to fill idiot boy's pockets or the pockets of his administration.

[rzemanfl]

11. I didn't say "as it sounds" I said "as it has been portrayed."

There is nothing in the law itself that mentions promissory notes. The $10,000 number thrown around on the net today was absurd. As, apparently was the story that passports would be invalid until the government was repaid. The Repukes just made things worse when they didn't make what was happening clear. Dems voted for this law too. "Reimbursable" to me means "pay me later" not "sign a note in advance for an unknown amount before you can get out of harm's way." The Repukes have stepped in it again by being their usual incompetent selves.

[DanCa]

16. I think that Sean Hannity started that promissory note ear worm

I have no proof mind you. But that sounds like just the sort of swarmy and unamerican thing that the hermaphrodite would do.

[ShortnFiery]

17. No, someone in the State Department confirmed on CNN

But she also emphasized that EVERYONE who's USA citizen and wishes to be evacuated, WILL be evacuated.

Still, I think this nasty law (2003?) should be rescinded.

IMO, it's far better to have my tax dollars pay for rescue than for more War Profiteering for Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Halliburton, etc. etc.