tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post113917010348401893..comments2020-04-11T03:30:02.282-05:00Gary R. Welshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15185079937305083438noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-1139195791808205562006-02-05T22:16:00.000-05:002006-02-05T22:16:00.000-05:00If the travel is legitimate, it should be paid by the government; otherwise, they can pay for it out of their own pockets like anyone else. These trips for folks like Boehner are nothing more than free vacations. Nobody is going to ever convince me that you accept a trip paid for by a special interest group to a posh golfing resort and that is not going to influence your vote when it comes to matters pertaining to that special interest. The special interest isn't doing it out of the goodness of its heart and the lawmaker knows that. I wouldn't stop with the travel; I would ban any gifts, meals or other gratuities paid for by lobbyists. As to the earmarks--Republicans decried earmarks for decades while they were in the minority and promised to end them as part of their Contract with America. Now they have grown to become a much greater part of the budget than they ever did under the Democrats. If Boehner doesn't understand these fundamental issues and how they are perceived by the public, then he's doomed to failure. <BR/><BR/>As to the leadership dictating--it is not that at all. The leaders are there to lead. If they cannot make their members understand that these are necessary reforms for the GOP to restore the public's confidence in the Republican-controlled House, then you can be assured they will not control the House after this fall's elections.Gary R. Welshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15185079937305083438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-1139181125960010172006-02-05T18:12:00.000-05:002006-02-05T18:12:00.000-05:00so you favor a top down leadership approach where the party leaders dictate to everyone else what's going to happen? isn't that what gave us the medicare prescription drug benefit?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-1139179536411237532006-02-05T17:45:00.000-05:002006-02-05T17:45:00.000-05:00How do you figure this is "bombing?" What does "banning" earmarks or "private travel?" Do people not trust themselves to be good judges of what lawmakers do or want to do? Boehner is proposing more disclosure and more accountability. Isn't THAT the conservative take? "Banning" something doesn't eliminate the problem, it just hides it from public scrutiny; see the BCFRA.Buckeye Beaufordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16551351152523799335noreply@blogger.com