Jindal uses taxpayer money for a helicopter to shuttle him to church.

[Joanne98]

A report by The Advocate in Louisiana finds that state taxpayers have been paying for Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) to go to church…in a helicopter:

In May, June and July, there was rarely a Sunday when the governor didn’t board a taxpayer-funded helicopter to attend church services in far-flung parts of the state. He traveled by helicopter to churches less frequently in March and April. Over five months, Jindal took more than three dozen helicopter trips. Fourteen were to attend church services, according to state records. <...>

At least two aides usually accompanied him along with his security detail and State Police pilots. The public pays their salaries as well as the fuel and upkeep for the helicopter.

The helicopter that the governor uses the most costs $1,200 an hour to operate — about $45,000 for five months of church visits.

Last week, Jindal said that he “visits a church when he receives an invitation” and often “schedules meetings with local officials” afterward.

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/09/01/jindal-church-helicopter/

[hfojvt]

1. not a big deal, and the headline is not accurate

be interesting to see the reaction here.

[spanone]

4. big deal to me.

[hfojvt]

12. Why?

There is nothing in the first amendment to forbid a Governor from going to church.

As for the other part, I think it is cool for a Governor to tour his state and contact ordinary people. I live in the 6th largest county in my state and we rarely see the Governor here. If he/she visits, it is probably to talk to the Chamber of Commerce and selected big shots. I think he was here with a Senator to talk about the Gitmo issue. I wonder how often they get to places even like Hays or Dodge City.

[Lance_Boyle]

6. How is the headline inaccurate?

I supposed "church" could have been pluralized, but I hardly think that makes the headline inaccurate.

I'd bet even the mouthbreathing fundamentalpatients of LA would object to THEIR TAX DOLLARS funding "Bobby's" helicopter rides to jesus.

[hfojvt]

17. that definitely makes it inaccurate

a person goes "to church" once a week (or so). The headline makes it sound like he is flying to the same church. It also ignores the secondary purpose - that he is visiting various parts of his state. The purpose of his trip is not JUST to goto church, but it is also to visit Bump Falls, Louisiana or some such (I cannot find my road atlas to look up real cities). I don't think that is a bad thing. Nor is $45,000 a ton of money. It's probably less than a nickel per taxpayer.

[Lance_Boyle]

19. Would you say a headline is inaccurate

that reads "Plane falls from sky, destroys church" because the plane only destroyed A church, not THE church? Same difference.

[Joe the Liberal]

2. Typical republican......

this doesn't surprise me one bit.

[spanone]

3. whatever happened to that church/state thingy?

imagine if he went to muslim services

[Joanne98]

7. Here's an article on that......Bobby Jindal continues to “jet set” across Louisiana.

By jet, I of course mean helicopter – one funded entirely by taxpayers.

As the Wall of Separation noted last fall, the Louisiana governor spent $180,000 in taxpayer funds during his first eight months in office to travel by a State Police helicopter to many of the same churches he visited while on his campaign trail.

He wasn’t just attending these churches for quiet prayer; he spoke out during the church services, telling the same tale of his conversion to Christianity that he did while campaigning.

Now, according to the Baton Rouge Advocate, Jindal has since spent another $45,000 traveling to even more churches.

“In May, June and July, there was rarely a Sunday when the governor didn’t board a taxpayer-funded helicopter to attend church services in far-flung parts of the state,” the newspaper reported.

Jindal is a devout Roman Catholic yet he is traveling to worship at conservative Protestant churches 200 miles away from his Baton Rouge home. He says he mixes these church visits with meetings with local officials throughout the state and insists these trips have nothing to do with maintaining his gubernatorial seat come next election.

“I’m completely just humbled and honored that I’m asked to come and worship with Louisianians across the state,” he said. “It’s important for the governor to get out of Baton Rouge.”

It may indeed be important for the governor to get out of Baton Rouge, but it’s also important for him to understand the constitutional separation of church and state. Public funds should never fund religion – and that includes Gov. Jindal’s $1,200 helicopter rides to church every Sunday.

Jindal certainly has the right to practice his own faith. But he does not have the right to preach all over the state on the taxpayer’s dime.

It’s also important for Jindal to understand the rules governing tax exemption for religious and other nonprofit institutions. Federal tax law plainly forbids house of worship to engage in partisan politics. If churches are serving as a political base for one candidate, they’re overstepping legal bounds.

We all know that Jindal’s appearances at these churches are as much political as they are religious. And that’s a misuse of religion.

I know the Supreme Court has made it hard for taxpayers to challenge these kinds of abuses in court. And the IRS has sometimes been less than rigorous in enforcing the ban on electioneering at churches and other nonprofits.

But enough is enough, and Louisiana taxpayers should voice their concerns to the governor himself. Surely, if enough people speak out loudly and clearly, Jindal will shut down this personal tax-funded frequent-flyer program.

By Sandhya Bathija
http://blog.au.org/2009/08/31/frequent-flyer-louisiana-governor-jets-to-church-at-taxpayer-expense/

[Joe the Liberal]

8. If he were a Dem this would be all over the media.....

and there would already be calls for impeachment along with protests. If he went to Muslim services though you can forget about it, his political career would be over especially if it were on tax payer money. The double standards in this country are ridiculous.

[Horse with no Name]

14. You are a liar

;)
Hate to use a RW source like politico...but you know, to get a RW attack you go to a RW source.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/23122.html
>>>snip
Asked about the cost of the trip, which Republicans have criticized as indulgent, coming just ahead of the expected announcement of GM's bankruptcy filing on Monday, Josh Earnest told pool reporter Dave Michaels of the Dallas Morning News, that he "didn't anticipate being able to provide a cost estimate tonight."

After the play let out at about 11:30 p.m., the presidential motorcade went down Sixth Avenue, shut down by the NYPD, and onlookers packed onto the East side of the street cheered as the presidential motorcade passed as the Obamas headed back to JFK for a return flight to Washington.

The Republican National Committee slammed the outing in an "RNC Research Piece": "As President Obama prepares to wing into Manhattan’s theater district on Air Force One to take in a Broadway show, GM is preparing to file bankruptcy and families across America continue to struggle to pay their bills. ... Have a great Saturday evening – even if you’re not jetting off somewhere at taxpayer expense. ... PUTTING ON A SHOW: Obamas Wing Into The City For An Evening Out While Another Iconic American Company Prepares For Bankruptcy."

The RNC's Gail Gitcho added: "If President Obama wants to go to the theater, isn’t the Presidential box at the Kennedy Center good enough?”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/23122.html#ixzz0PyyrNXS3

[krabigirl]

5. This is disgusting.

[create.peace]

9. Kenneth the Page would never do that!nt

[Joanne98]

15. LOL

[OwnedByFerrets]

10. That damned socialized helicopter network!!

[KansDem]

11. Why can't he drive there, like the rest of us (who do go to church)? (nt)

[xultar]

13. Wheeeeee! Bobby likes to FLY!

[formercia]

16. It's practice for when he becomes President.

He needs a lot of practice.

[david13]

18. But it's ok because god said he had to do it, and geezus calls out the

chopper for him.
dc