When is a junket a junket? Not when it is Congress, that's when

I'm getting fed up with government hypocrisy. Case in point: companies left and right are being criticized for holding "lavish parties" for key salespeople, or retreats, conventions or other corporate outings. I understand why. But I also know that we could be hurting the hospitality and convention industry more and more by canceling all these events.

But if our government officials do it? No, that is a "serious working session." Both parties had trips to nearby resorts, with different sources of money.

Republican lawmakers paid for their travel and lodging [at The Homestead], mostly with campaign funds. Staffers' bills and the rest of the tab was picked up by the Congressional Institute, which is funded by 54 "patrons," including General Electric Co. and the National Association of Home Builders. About 45 lobbyists attended a dinner on opening night.

A few days later, as the stimulus bill inched forward, Democrats held a two-day issues conference at the Kingsmill Resort & Spa in Williamsburg, Va., a property owned by brewer Anheuser Bush-Inbev NV and whose spa is known for its hops and chamomile massage. Taxpayers helped foot the bill, which was paid partly with money appropriated for congressional office expenses.

Once again, beam me up. And take the COLA pay raise with it, too.

Tony LoPinto hit the nail on the head with these comments:

This is amid hypocritical Congressional reprimands of Wells Fargo and other corporations, which have recently planned business meetings and retreats at resort locations, and were forced to cancel them. Business is going to drive the recovery, and meetings and conferences will be essential to collaboratively working our way out of the current economic mess--but these gatherings should be paid for by the individual companies, not special interests, lobbyists or our taxes.