Rep. Doolittle Just Wants The Same Benefits Every American Doesn’t Have
Rep. Doolittle Just Wants The Same Benefits Every American Doesn’t Have
Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA) was a regular at Jack Abramoff’s skybox at sporting events and guided his aides and family members to lucrative consulting jobs. But evidently those perks weren’t enough. Since he entered office in 1991, he has tried to boost lawmakers’ compensation and benefits. Doolittle argued members of Congress should have:
– “a corps of staff to assist the members, to perform routine tasks such as rides to airports, pickups, deliveries, etc;”
– “an additional automobile” to use around the nation’s capital; and
– government-funded moving expenses when they relocate to Washington, DC.
Doolittle’s spokesman, Dan Blackenburg, tried to justify the congressman’s efforts:
“He thinks that Members of the House, the staff and all federal employees should have the same benefits that all Americans are insured with,” Blankenburg said, pointing out that federal employees, for example, currently don’t receive a dental or vision benefit.
Doolittle needs to get out of Abramoff’s skybox and talk to some real Americans. 41 percent of the American middle-class didn’t even have basic health insurance for part or all of 2005 and only 29 percent of companies now offer dental and vision benefits. (Statistics on how many Americans have a personal “corps of staff” to “perform routine tasks” were unavailable.)
Doolittle and his spokesman also need to check his federal health insurance program. While most plans don’t offer vision and dental benefits, some do. (New enhanced dental and vision benefits will also be offered to federal employees in the fall.)
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68 Responses to “Rep. Doolittle Just Wants The Same Benefits Every American Doesn’t Have”
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Rep. John Doolittle: “What do you mean every American doesn’t have their own personal monkey butler and a toilet made from solid gold? But I WANT one!”
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:23 pmThe next Constitutional Amendment will require us to call them by their royal names - like ‘Sir Doolittle’ and ‘His Majesty Doolittle’ and the sort. Sheesh.
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:25 pmThese empire builders make me sick… The entitlements are enough to make any american angry.These republicans are working overtime to take away SSI,Medicare,Medicaid ,Welfare,headstart,WIC and other programs to help everyday Americans and these little kings and queens want us to support them. Its freaking time we as Americans took away every benefit they havd and Fired Them in 2006.
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:25 pm(Statistics on how many Americans have a personal “corps of staff†to “perform routine tasks†were unavailable.)
Way to not bother to do your research, slackers, if only you had a personal corps of staff to help out, then maybe…..
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:26 pmHe should be entitled to a nice clean cell and three meals a day.
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:27 pmIn the photo, it looks like His Royal Highness Doolittle already has a monkey butler… No, wait, that’s just Tom Delay… Coulda fooled anyone… he is very chimp like.
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:28 pmIsn’t this the guy whose wife is taking a 15% cut on his campaign contributions? According to the Note, Cheney is campaigning for him today. What a pair!
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:29 pmLOL Doolittle also took bribes from Brent Wilkes the creepo who bribed Duke Cunningham and supplied prostitutes at the Watergate hotel during poker games!
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:31 pmWhoa, Squeege…
It sounds like you’re on ‘our’ side on this one. ;)
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:32 pmThe Abramoff scandal and the Cunningham/Hookergate scandal are merging now with Rep. Doolittle’s ties to both!
I am waiting for the press to dig up the “Brokeback Mountain” relationship between Brent Wilkes and Kyle Dusty Foggo who resigned from the CIA recently! Both of those guys went to San Diego University together and were roommates for 4 years, afterwards they have taken trips together away from their wives! See the movie I mention and judge for yourself!
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:37 pm* Public Servants Gone Wild! *
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:38 pm#1 bobcat - If America is to ever realize its dreams of gold in every pot and a monkey butler in every garage someone will have to start things off… I commend Doolittle for his principled attempt at leadership…USA! USA! USA! USA!
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:40 pmbobcat
I’ve been known to cross the aisle now and again, just don’t tell the RNC, they’ll pull my membership card, and put a stop to my stipend for harrassing you guys.
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:40 pm“He thinks that Members of the House, the staff and all federal employees should have the same benefits that all Americans are insured with,†Blankenburg said
He meant “all REAL Americans”. Who those are is filed as a super secret, classified, need to know, only if you wear the mark basis.
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:40 pm“a corps of staff to assist the members, to perform routine tasks such as rides to airports, pickups, deliveries, etc;â€
Looks like he would prefer to “do little” of that sort of thing for himself. He is aptly named, if nothing else.
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:41 pmI believe that politicians should get a raise. They should be paid around $500,000 annually comensurate with CEO’s and other high-level employees.
However, they should also not be allowed to accept anything from anyone. Not even a free sample at the bakery. No gifts, trips, meals…nothing. The problem is economics and we need to remove this monetary incentive to cheat and have these politicians earn enough where they can’t be bought. In the long run it will save a lot on pork barrel and no-bid contracts for their buddies.
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:48 pm(Statistics on how many Americans have a personal “corps of staff†to “perform routine tasks†were unavailable.)
Way to not bother to do your research, slackers, if only you had a personal corps of staff to help out, then maybe…..
You beat me to the punch on that one Squeege. Progressives, always wanting someone else to do their work for them. I went ahead and took a random survey of people who were at the Starbucks on the way to work, I can say that 50% (*) of them currently have that. So he really wants what half of working Americans have.
*My poll has a plus and minus of 50 percentage points*
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:48 pm#15
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:49 pmI always thought Repubs have funny names. Doolittle, Delay, Bush, Boehner(pronounced the right way), Colin….
#13:
Gotcha. Deleting the letter I was getting ready to fire off to RNC headquarters:
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:51 pmHealth insurance? I’ve had exactly one job with health insurance didn’t have to pay out of my own pocket, and that was its only good point, not excluding its pay (slightly less than what’s required to live around here). Vacations - paid, if you can find time for one. Dental? The plans I’ve seen don’t include my dentist. Vision? In your dreams. I want the kind of bennies that congresspeople get!
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:58 pm41 percent of the American middle-class didn’t even have basic health insurance for part or all of 2005
The details of what’s happening even to those WITH benefits, “vacation”, and “sick leave”, is even more gitty.
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:58 pmbobcat - hilarious!
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:59 pmGosh, I get the impression somehow that these people are just ever so slightly ignorant of how we live here in Real America.
Y’think?
May 22nd, 2006 at 1:59 pmLOL post 19 I needed a good laugh today!
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:00 pmHuh? I have a corps of staff to help me out with my routine tasks. They’re called kids. Sure, the training period took a few years longer than I had expected, but they’re usually pretty good about doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen; and they work for slave wages. And the oldest just hit sixteen today, so it looks like I might have a personal driver soon. Woohoo! I feel so priviledged.
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:01 pmBobcat
Thanks I appreciate it :)
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:02 pm#16:
The amount of money that would accomplish that doesn’t exist.
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:06 pmDoolittle probably believes he is Middle Class making a $170,000 a year wage and benefits/perks that probably add up to another $30,000 at least > he can’t even pay out of his own pocket for moving expenses > lol.
Average family of 2 adults and 2 children make about $30,000 a year, so do-little can try living on that amount or he can shut his damn dumb yapper!
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:07 pmHe thinks Congressmen should have the same health insurance the public has? Hey, I could go for that. So either he gives his up 40% of the time, OR all the people without good insurance get the same package he does. And he can bloody pay for the gofers, extra cars (where in DC would they put ‘em?), and so forth, just like we would if we bothered to have ‘em.
Fair is fair, you know?
Ed
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:21 pmHeywhat - I like your suggestion of NO gifts along with the Congressional pay raise. Naturally, we’ll want to do away with all “bundling” of campaign donations by ALL PACs, interest groups, lobbies et al.
#28 - “Average family of 2 adults and 2 children make about $30,000 a year,” - Statistics & Demographics expert, Jay Ran
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:22 pm******Maybe in your “mobile home village” that is the average - but the US Census Bureua begs to differ with your research and expertise. Even the state with the lowest average household income is higher than your “data”.
When Newt Gingrich suggested re opening Boys Town, I sent him a suggestion for Congress. Open Congress Town. Have Reps live in a Boys Town like setting where they could learn about the dignity of work, ie drudge work by sharing duties like cooking, cleaning, emptying trash and doing their own wash.
Additonally, I wanted to see a Constitutional amendment that tied their salaries to something like the median income for a family of four or the minimum wage, including any outside income they might have.
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:26 pm#28:
The annual salary of a US Representative is $165,200, not the ridiculous $170,000 figure you made up. And they work hard for that money. With all the days off, golf trips, fund raising, hand shaking, and bribe taking, I’m surprised they haven’t given themselves another raise. Governing is hard work, after all.
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:27 pmWho is the black guy standing behind Doolittle in the pic? His butler or some paid off black guy for show? I do see DeLay behind him as well, giving Doolittle his corruption seal of approval > lol.
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:33 pmJust more proof that Republican = “clueless”.
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:37 pmPost 32 they have had a raise since your amount posted > I just gave a ballpark figure since if you are in a leadership position in the House you make up to $190,000+or-! I appreciate your sarcasm > they work very hard for those 100 days > lol > like pushing a button YES or NO for a pork filled bill!
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:38 pmMA’s partially right in #30.
According to 2004 US Census, the lowest average household income (by state) was West Virginia at $32,589. The highest was New Hampshire at $57,352.
What else in interesting is by looking at the list, it’s mostly blue states at the top, and red states at the bottom. Interesting. So, us evil progressives that want to tax the richer people in America are actually FOR taxing ourselves. Hmmm… sounds like we don’t mind carrying our fair share.
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:38 pm“Who is the black guy standing behind Doolittle in the pic? His butler or some paid off black guy for show?”
Maybe he’s like Stephen Colbert’s black friend. The one guy you always have around to prove your in good with minorities.
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:38 pm#32 - bobcat_grad ,
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:39 pmYou forgot that they hire wives, sons and daughters as $90,000.00 consultants.
Post 30 Mighty Moron > how would you know what an average family of four makes? You are a single male drag queen who works as a hairdresser in a salon for Gay guys > lol.
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:41 pmDoolittle’s website conveniently doesn not allow feedback unless you live in his district. I really wanted to share with him the benefits that I - grad school graduate and professional for 11 years - do NOT have. Let’s see, that would be health (denied b/c I’ve been to a doctor in the last 6 months), dental, vision. I’m an adjunct college teacher and my husband is a professional writer. Currently, health insurance would cost us $956/month. We were denied a cheaper policy. We cannot afford that, so we have no coverage. Go ahead Doolittle, take the same benefits that I, and American, have. There all yours.
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:43 pmSince most Americans do not have comprehensive health care or dental care either > everyone in DC should have their coverage of free health care and dental canceled! They make enough money to pay for it out of their salary! Also no free meals at the Capital Dome restaurant, no free haircuts, no free travel, no free valet service, and no other perks!
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:50 pmMaybe he’s like Stephen Colbert’s black friend. The one guy you always have around to prove your in good with minorities.
Comment by squegeeboo — May 22, 2006 @ 2:38 pm
Colbert fired his black friend and is taking applications to be his new black friend. From the mouth of the man himself:
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:52 pmWhat the hell are they talking about? Health insurance? Dental? Vision? Christ, if you are lucky enough to even begin to have those, you are more than likely paying for it out of your own pocket. Most employers don’t pay for them anymore.
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:59 pmWhat the hell are they talking about? Health insurance? Dental? Vision? Christ, if you are lucky enough to even begin to have those, you are more than likely paying for it out of your own pocket. Most employers don’t pay for them anymore.
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:59 pm#41:
Granted, I got this from Wikipedia, so take it with a grain of salt:
“Members are granted several free Capitol parking spaces and are exempt from parking tickets through the use of special license plates. Facilities such as private gymnasiums, low cost barbers, and subsidized dining areas are provided as well as access to the services of a permanent bureaucracy. They are also able to substitute their signature for postage allowing them to send large quantities of mail at a reduced cost.
Another privilege is the use of the Library of Congress. The Library’s primary mission is to serve the Congress and its staff. To do this, the Congressional Research Service provides detailed, up-to-date and non-partisan research for Senators, Representatives, and their staff to help them carry out their functions as national servants.”
I take three things from this:
1. I want one of those license plates. I would park wherever I wanted and dare someone to give me a ticket (see, power corrupts).
2. I wonder if I just start signing my name up where the stamps go, and then showing the post office the comments by Doolittle, if I can get away with not spending $.39.
3. So, Doolittle wants an army of folks to valet him around. Cause that’s more important than using the Congressional Research Service to get some facts before holding hearings.
May 22nd, 2006 at 3:02 pm“Members of the House, the staff, and all federal employees should have the same benefits that all Americans are insured with.” What a GREAT idea!!! I could not agree more! This issue surely rates an ‘up or down’ vote, right away!! Way to go, Mister!!
May 22nd, 2006 at 3:21 pmAre these the reality-based - NOT! - Representatives that voted themselves an annual raise without intervening election.
House Agrees to $3,100 Pay Raise for 2006 [ $165,200 ]
May 22nd, 2006 at 3:36 pm#16 It takes a half a million to remove the monetary incentive to cheat? Send me to Congress. I’ll be honest for half that. Oh, wait, I’m already honest for $38,000 annually. Is that why I don’t qualify for Congress?
May 22nd, 2006 at 3:37 pm[…] [SOURCE @ thinkprogress.org + CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE AND SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATION] […]
May 22nd, 2006 at 4:05 pmIf each member of Congress was paid a half million, or even a million bucks, they would still be greedy for more cash! Plus being instant millionaires would make them even less likely to represent average Americans! I believe a Congressman should get paid about $50,000 a year and NO benefits/perks > lets see them survive on that > they might understand the plight of average workers more!
May 22nd, 2006 at 4:08 pm46 million Americans without health insurance and this a**hole is whining about dental and vision insurance. He would do Marie Antoinette proud. We need a guillotine for these a**holes.
May 22nd, 2006 at 4:24 pmHow about separate threads for Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) and other corrupt Democtrats? It’s kinda hard to get excited about TP’s corruption complaints when TP never devotes equal time to ethically challenged Democrats like Mollahan, Jefferson and Reid.
Then there’s the DNC’s decision to throw its weight behind failed mayoral candidate Mitch (”Mary Had a Little Brother”) Landrieu, and “Credit Chuck” Schumer’s decision to throw Paul Hackett under the bus. Given the opportunity, I’m quite sure that someone will be able to explain how virtue and honor were served by those moves.
BTW there’s a connection between the Congressman from Louisiana and the Senator from Nevada: According to the indian gaming contributions Reid has received - and political geography to the contrary notwithstanding - Reid and Jefferson may share some of the same constituents!
I wonder what the Senator’s position is on Nigerian communications companies . . .
May 22nd, 2006 at 6:05 pm[…] Check this out. […]
May 22nd, 2006 at 6:16 pmCome to think of it, Schumer’s illegal foray into the confidential credit file of Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R-MD) also deserved a thread of its own - one that TP never saw fit to provide. I shouldn’t be surprised. Moral relativism is so rampant on the left that almost any evil - including political corruption - becomes an “eye of the beholder” kind of thing.
May 22nd, 2006 at 6:40 pmLOL post 52 > Sen. Reid never had any connections to Rep. William Jefferson! Reid is from Nevada and Jefferson from Louisiana! One is a Senator and the other a Representative, so they never even associated with each other! As for Jefferson he was set-up by a FBI sting operation, so a created crime > he should have realized he was being set-up, but $100,000 cash looked good to him I guess?!
May 22nd, 2006 at 6:46 pmLOL post 52 > Sen. Reid never had any connections to Rep. William Jefferson! Reid is from Nevada and Jefferson from Louisiana! One is a Senator and the other a Representative, so they never even associated with each other! As for Jefferson he was set-up by a FBI sting operation, so a created crime > he should have realized he was being set-up, but $100,000 cash looked good to him I guess?!
[sigh . . .] A mind is a terrible thing to waste!
May 22nd, 2006 at 7:16 pmRemember that Dolittle (in keeping with his name) is only “working” 96 days this year. Not bad perks for part time work.
May 22nd, 2006 at 7:26 pmLOL post 56 wasting your mind helping Bush ” is a terrible thing to waste”! Take some time off from posting bullcrap for Bush on here > go on vacation or read a book or something!
May 22nd, 2006 at 7:27 pmRe: the Dental Benfits for all Federal Workers
the benefits that are provided by som HMO’s are about the same as those available with $100 /year dental discount cards. i.e. reasonable priced coverage at a very limited number of of providers for basic services such as exams, x-rays, cleanings, and almagam cavities. But if you need any serious dental work such as a crown, or root canal, or braces for your kid, the discount amounts to only about 40%.
There is a standalone dental plan available to Federal employees that is about $40/month for a family, but coverage during the first two years is limited to those mentioned above. It might be a good deal if you know your kids are gonna need braces in several years, but otherwise you’re probably better putting money in the Medical Savings Plan offered to Federal employees.
May 22nd, 2006 at 7:55 pmAs for Jefferson he was set-up by a FBI sting operation, so a created crime
Jay do you have a source for that, last I saw he was simply maintaining his innocence and waiting for the correct time to tell his side? While I am 100% for innocent till proven guilty I would like to know where this was called a “created crime” by the FBI?
May 22nd, 2006 at 8:15 pmBut then this is a man who pays his wife from his campaign funds and pays for his childcare from his campaign funds and buys his toilet paper from his campaign funds…
It’s really ALL his money
May 22nd, 2006 at 8:43 pmPost 60 Tundra > the FBI set up the whole operation on Rep. William Jefferson > he was contacted by a FBI guy posing as a middleman for a Nigerian company, then offered $100,000 by that same FBI guy to do a favor for that overseas company, then the FBI raided Jefferson’s house to find the cash stashed away in a freezer! That makes this whole thing a created crime by the FBI! Jefferson fell for the sting and took the cash, which was stupid > he got greedy!
Remember the Mayor Barry in DC who was set up to buy cocaine in a hotel room all set up and filmed by the FBI > Barry’s lawyer was able to prove it was a created crime and the charge was dismissed in court!
If you ever get a deal proposed to you that is just too sweet, then it probably is a FBI sting!
May 22nd, 2006 at 9:11 pm“I went ahead and took a random survey of people who were at the Starbucks on the way to work, I can say that 50% (*) of them currently have that. So he really wants what half of working Americans have.”
Well, to begin with you were at Starbucks, which is very expensive for regular folks. Maybe the safe neighborhood skewed the data a bit? Selective polling at its most basic.
Nope, no health, dental, vision, sick or vacation time on my job either. Not to mention it pays 80% of my expenses.
Get a clue, everyone is in debt and getting poorer every year.
May 22nd, 2006 at 9:48 pmQuote from the Memoir “The Lairs Club”
A Republican is one who cannot enjoy a meal unless he knows that someone else is hungry.
May 22nd, 2006 at 10:33 pm63,
“I went ahead and took a random survey of people who were at the Starbucks on the way to work, I can say that 50% (*) of them currently have that. So he really wants what half of working Americans have.â€
Well, to begin with you were at Starbucks, which is very expensive for regular folks. Maybe the safe neighborhood skewed the data a bit? Selective polling at its most basic.
Nope, no health, dental, vision, sick or vacation time on my job either. Not to mention it pays 80% of my expenses.
Get a clue, everyone is in debt and getting poorer every year.
LOL, that was satire
May 23rd, 2006 at 11:52 amA Republican is one who cannot enjoy a meal unless he knows that someone else is hungry.
Comment by Art Durand aka Whitebear — May 22, 2006 @ 10:33 pm
May 23rd, 2006 at 11:32 pmGreat post my friend. They are all anal retentive. You know..toss each others “salad”. IRI and MA are legends in the salad tossing game. Both chicken sh*t cowards, perverts and busy with their left hands.
To all, both IRI and MA are sub human low life, chicken sh*t cowards. Now ,everyone buy at least 4 copies of the Dixie Chicks new album.. Piss off the retartds. O.K the retards are IRI and MA both scum suckers. If either were a man they would be insulted and defend themseleves but, they are not. both pieces of crap.
May 23rd, 2006 at 11:39 pmThey have their special parking lot at National and their own entrance into the terminal
where they can be taken directly to the jetways without the usual security hassles everyone
else has to endure. In the post 9/11 hysteria, some members were demanding armored limos
and large security details for all members. It was said, the Capitol Police would have to
recruit 5000 additional officers to provide security details for every member. Then there
were some suggestions of adding another 75 - 100 aircraft to the existing VIP fleet at
Andrews AFB so members would be entirely free of having to use commerical air transport.
This was also to include a large helicopter fleet to shuttle members between the Capitol
complex and Andrews as well as other points in the DC metro area.
….Fred
May 27th, 2006 at 5:34 am