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maxrandb

(15,191 posts)
Tue Jun 4, 2013, 10:55 AM Jun 2013

Challenge to the Media...Please look into Congressional Junkets and Conferences

Since there seems to be such "outrage" or should I say "Poutrage" about training conferences and seminars at the IRS and other government organizations, may I suggest that "Congress doth protest too much".

Look, I'm a retired 28.5 year Naval Officer. I guarantee you that if the IG, or the GAO looked into military conferences and training, you might find some things that would raise your eyebrows...never-mind the fact that (just like the IRS), there were folks whose jobs were to approve travel and expenditures for conferences and training that...SURPRISE...approved that travel and expenditures

Look, I went to some training and conferences in my career that may seem "funny" or "strange", but I will wager a bet with any media type, or anyone who wants to take it...I am willing to bet you that the training and conferences attended by the IRS and other federal agencies, including the military, are provided by TRAINING CONTRACTORS and GOVERNMENT CONSULTANTS like Booze, Allen, Hamilton and Executive Leadership Group...and those contractors and consultants donate vast sums of money to a certain political party.

Anyone want to take that bet?

Look, my position as a career military person makes me very much someone who wants to be a good steward of the taxpayers money...especially since I am a taxpayer, but there is a reason why federal agencies and the military conduct training and conferences....in the vast majority of cases, we end up getting better and more motivated employees in return

Recently, there were 6 republicans that took a trip to Russia (with frickin Steven Segal) to "investigate" the Boston Marathon bombing. This trip was a fucking embarrassment. If we want to get apoplectic about "federal spending", then let's start there.

So please consider this a challenge to the media...let's take a look at the spending on Congressional Junkets and conferences with the same vigor you are using for other federal employees. Of course, that would require you to do more work than simply regurgitating republican talking points.

Any takers?

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Challenge to the Media...Please look into Congressional Junkets and Conferences (Original Post) maxrandb Jun 2013 OP
I hate to "defend" the IRS, but someone has too maxrandb Jun 2013 #1

maxrandb

(15,191 posts)
1. I hate to "defend" the IRS, but someone has too
Wed Jun 5, 2013, 08:38 AM
Jun 2013

Look, for an agency with over 100,000 employees, a $10-14M per year Training Budget IS NOT EXCESSIVE

I just hate the way our asshatted media will take 10 seconds of a video and present it as the entire story of a conference. No one digs into the stories anymore, and what you end up with is a fucking country where "Honey-Boo-Boo" passes as something appropriate for The Learning Channel.

I've done travel and training stuff as part of my job and guess what...if you have a 5 day conference for a hundred employees, that's probably $250K just in travel, lodging, per-diem and rental cars (depending on where the training is held) alone.

Can someone tell me what Congress' travel and training budget is per year?

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