#1 on my list? Nancy Pelosi
Why? She is the people's champion of the minimum wage increase, part of her agenda to meet the everyday needs of all Americans. An increase effective in all of the United States and its territories, except forAmerican Samoa, where 75% of the island works in packing plants that are run by Del Monte and Chicken of the Sea, both California companies. So effectively the minimum-wage increase affects all American companies except for two. Both of which are California-based, with Del Monte, in San Francisco, in Mrs. Pelosi's district. The whole article can be read in the Washington Times:
GOP hits Pelosi's 'hypocrisy' on wage bill (Charles Hurt, January 12, 2007).
#2 Congressional Republican James Sensenbrenner
Why? Two words - Power Trips. Germany, Dubai, Japan, Thailand, Qatar, Las Vegas, Kasakhstan, Guatemala, Belgium, and Singapore, just to name a few. All to support his constituents in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, I'm sure.
Thank you Steve Henn!
SENSENBRENNER, F JAMES JR, Republican Party Wisconsin
Total number of trips - 22
Total cost of trips - $179,814.16
Average cost per trip - $8,173.37
Total number of days spent traveling - 127 days
Rank of representative - 1 (Out of 638)
Here are some headlines:
Sensenbrenner tops list for privately funded travel. Lawmaker has taken $200,000 since 2000 (AP, August 4, 2006)
How about Recording Industry Paid for Sensenbrenner's Travel to Asia (AP, April 30, 2003). The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) said it asked Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.) to make the January trip to Taiwan and Thailand to reinforce the U.S. position on pirated products. Sensenbrenner was accompanied by his wife and an aide.
Now this isn't so bad, but when compared to his press release Putting an End to Wasteful Spending, it raises a few eyebrows. "One of the most important and difficult jobs that Congress has, is determining how taxpayer money should be spent and what it should be spent on. Folks familiar with my views know that I am convinced Congress spends far too much of your money, and that much of what Congress spends is wasteful."
Hypocrite.
