AUSTERITY MUST MEAN ONLY GETTING A USED FLYING PALACE. SAD

Glad to see that Trump got his new shiny thing. “The Defense Department formally accepted a luxury Boeing Co. 747-8 jumbo jet from Qatar to temporarily serve as the new Air Force One for President Donald Trump, one of the biggest foreign gifts ever given to the US government.” The gift raises ethical and security concerns, with politicians from both parties questioning the president’s decision. Concerns? Ethics? Security? That’s so 20th century. After announcing acceptance of the ‘gift’ the Pentagon spokesman referred further questions to the Air Force, which oversees the presidential aircraft. A second Pentagon spokesperson did not respond to further questions about the projected costs, a timeline for the conversion of the aircraft, or what role the department would play in a review of compliance with applicable laws and regulations. “As directed by the Secretary of Defense, the Air Force is preparing to award a contract to modify a Boeing 747 aircraft for executive airlift,” an Air Force spokesperson told Bloomberg News. “Details related to the contract are classified.” Why classified? And if they have a contract they must know the projected costs involved? Trump defended accepting the plane today. “They’re giving the United States Air Force a jet, and it’s a great thing.” Just a random gift to the Air Force. The WH has said its lawyers have signed off on the agreement and Trump has dismissed Democrats who criticized the gift as “losers.” He has justified moving quickly to acquire a new plane, saying the current Air Force One is “much smaller” and “much less impressive” than gleaming, newer jets used by Gulf state leaders. The Qatari Prime Minister called the gift of the plane a routine transaction between partners, calling criticism of the deal a misguided view of the country as an Arab state trying to gain political influence. Let’s review. This started as a potential purchase from Qatar. Then Trump started saying it was a gift. Then he went to Qatar. Then it actually became a gift. How stupid are we to think this is anything but his usual quid pro quo? He doesn’t know any other kind of life. He wanted something. He figured out how to get it, exactly how we don’t know. And have someone else pay for it all. And if you and the eternally hypocritical GOP Congress go along with this shifty charade, it’s not the Democrats who are the losers. It’s America and our integrity. What’s left of it.