Well, at least it's all 'free'

Why Congressman Brian Baird and a handful of colleagues needed to visit the Galapagos Islands, we may never know.

When the Wall Street Journal analyzed Congressional members' travel patterns over the last 14 years, they discovered a tremendous spike in spending on official trips. Since 1994, members of Congress have elevated their own travel outputs 10 times, to $13 million in 2008.

Baird and other members spent more than $20,000 on food and lodging in a four-day stint in the islands. When the Journal sought an explanation, he declined to answer.

The analysis shows why so many Americans don't trust government to do things correctly or efficiently, and it shows how little respect for their positions (and how much self-importance) many elected officials carry.

Compared to other outlays, the $13 million spent on official travel is less than a drop in the ocean. But in real-world thinking, $13 million is $13-freaking-million. And this is money that's been spent by a government that doesn't have it.

Some Congressional Delegations make legitimate, beneficial journeys across the world to arrange for trade opportunities, massage allied feelings, find facts in war zones and represent our country to other nations. But the $260,000 that was spent in New Zealand and Australia seems a bit over the top. Ditto the $250,000 in Austria, the $140,000 in Italy, and the $920,000 spent in the U.K, France, Germany and Poland. And Switzerland ($163,000) is neutral -- what are we gonna negotiate away from them?

These numbers are bipartisan and they include just food, hotels and incidental expenses. Travel arrangements -- often at the expense of the government -- cost even more.

Such thriftlessness in days of budget surplus are one thing. But our government almost always runs a massive deficit. It's not worth it.