Two news items related to transportation caught my attention recently. The first one has only a tenuous relationship to the issue, and makes me angry. The second one tells me some good things still happen. Private jets filled the hangers and tarmac at the Tampa International Airport on the eve of the Republican National Convention. No doubt many of them will also make their way to Charlotte when the Democrats meet next week. This elite form of transportation was being used to whisk corporate lobbyists to parties held in honor of their faithful servants in the U.S. Senate and other government positions.
After disembarking from their multi-million dollar aircraft, subsidized by tax deductions for depreciation, fuel and maintenance, these corporate chiefs took over Tampa’s finest restaurants and hotel ballrooms. There they staged elaborate parties for our elected representatives in honor of their previous service and as a incentive toward future tasks to be undertaken in support of the almighty corporate bottom line. AT&T sent representatives to lobby for their right to charge customers for expanded internet services, which are currently free. Insurance companies including AFLAC and Blue Cross/Blue Shield wanted to discuss the dismantling of the Affordable Care Act, so that they might increase corporate profits by not paying benefits to the truly ill policy holders who so desperately need it. Perhaps they need to buy a few more corporate jets. After all, those things aren’t cheap. It would be a shame if their executives had to rub elbows with the riffraff of typical first class commercial airline passengers.
A reporter questioned Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri as the senator was leaving an insurance company party. The reporter asked him what was discussed during the dinner. Despite my own strong feelings about an individual’s right to privacy, I believe that the public has a right to know in this instance. After all, the senator is an elected public servant, and the cost of the party will be written-off as a legitimate expense of doing business, and is thus subsidized by taxpayers’ dollars. If you’ve ever caught your child with his hand in the cookie jar when it shouldn’t be, you’ll understand the look on the face of Senator Blunt as he quickly and quietly got into his car and was driven away without answering. On a child, such a look can be quickly forgiven. On the face of a 62-year-old senator, it looks criminal. Perhaps we need to look into changing these tax laws that allow unfettered lobbying.
Meanwhile, only a short distance across the Gulf of Mexico as the jet flies, Hurricane Isaac crashed into the Louisiana shore wreaking havoc and destruction. I am left wondering if the insurance companies' jets will become angels of mercy after the parties are over, and wing their way to New Orleans in order to bring relief and comfort to policyholders harmed by the storm. Call me a cynic (I won’t deny it), but somehow, I doubt it will happen that way.
Wednesday, in my home state of Ohio, a local dairy company had a little celebration of its own. The reason was the opening of a new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fueling station that will be available for use by the dairy's fleet, as well as any other company’s trucks that have been converted for CNG use. The gas is much less expensive than diesel fuel or gasoline, burns cleaner, and doesn’t have to be refined before it can be used, only compressed. This is an environmentally sound move that makes economic sense as well.
At their party, Smith Dairy served their company’s ice cream to state officials who were on hand lend their support to the project. Despite his strong past support for such initiatives, Ohio’s governor was not available to attend. He was in Tampa at the RNC, probably at a party that offered a different type of refreshment. I guess it’s all about your priorities.
“I like the fact that our kids and their kids will have a cleaner world because of this.”
- Steve Schmid, president of Dairy Enterprises, commenting on his company’s new CNG fueling facility.
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