Homeland Security "Conference" in Oahu!

This is from Dec. 17, but I never heard about it, so I thought I post in case if others missed it too. Plus the Ridge picture itself deserves a repost! lol

While officials reported a continuing freeze on hiring new agents and a halt to non-essential spending in chilly Washington, D.C., buffet lines, lavish luaus and a short walk to the beach awaited top officials at a sumptuous resort and spa on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, on the island of Oahu.

On the first day of the conference, ABC News cameras caught Ridge, along with several aides, relaxing by one of the five pools at the Honolulu resort. It was listed as "office time" on his official schedule.

Chuck Lewis, executive director of Center for Public Integrity, a government watchdog group, said homeland security has turned into a vast, wasteful pork barrel.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=340420&page=1

Ridge is history.

;)

I saw that last night on the Daily Show, thought it was funny, but a huge waste of tax dollars. Ridge should be ashamed of himself.

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

Like to see somebody take that fat ass out with an ice chest of freezing water too. Little thieving bastards.

but you'd never read about officials at a "ritzy, five-star hotel" or a "fancy spa" there.

Disclaimer: The following comes from our Chamber of Commerce president:

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Dec/30/op/op05p.html

Isn't it time for ABC to drop 1950s' stereotypes of Hawai'i as "lavish lu'aus" and sun and fun? Honolulu is emerging as one of the important conference and business hubs for the Asia-Pacific region. That's not because of its attractive environment, or in spite of it. It is in addition to it. It is because of Hawai'i's strategic location, its well-developed infrastructure of Asia-Pacific-focused think tanks, schools and operational headquarters.

ABC's criticism of the Department of Homeland Security's expenditures was closely associated with loaded words and phrases calculated to cast aspersions on Hawai'i. Hawai'i has nothing to do with Homeland Security's expenditures, but the tarring brush was already in the pot.

Consider "basking in the warm Hawaiian sun for the meeting" (not in the actual air-conditioned meeting rooms?), "lavish lu'aus" (as opposed to a Cleveland hotel's lavish buffet?), "short walk to the beach" (as opposed to a short walk to the hotel bar?). Sun, lu'aus, beach? Yes, Honolulu is proudly guilty of these apparently immoral assets.

Come to think of it, we've organized some very effective "welcoming committees" for these high-level repukes in the past; Bush** himself was once forced to use the service entrance at this very same resort because the main driveway was, ah, otherwise occupied.

But for this? Nada. Not even an alert from NION that I can recall. Hmmmm.....

That is the Cost Of Living Allowance. As a government employee you get 25% more because it is that much more expensive to live there. Almost everything must be imported.
There are something like 2 and a half million people living on an island approximately 35 X 35 miles. Most in Honolulu.