July 18, 2006

Cheap

Bush's fiscal conservatism includes charging Americans for their travel out of Lebanon.

Americans have been told to wait for a telephone call that could come in hours — or days. They've also been told they can't board a ship unless they've signed a contract agreeing to repay the U.S. government for the price of their evacuation.

Right. The Bush Administration will spend money like a drunken sailor on wars, but by golly if you get stuck in one, you're gonna pay your way out.

Classy.

Update: CNN reports that the fees will be waived. Rep. Pelosi and Sen. Stabenow raised hell.

But on Tuesday night Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice addressed the billing issue, telling Sen. John Sununu that she was waiving the requirement, Sununu's office said. The New Hampshire Republican is of Lebanese descent and had joined Pelosi and Stabenow in lambasting the fee.

Posted by Linkmeister at July 18, 2006 12:01 AM | TrackBack
Comments

I hadn't seen this. DISGRACEFUL.

Posted by: Curmudgeon at July 18, 2006 01:24 AM

we need more tax cuts for the top 1 percent

Posted by: jr at July 18, 2006 01:27 AM

I wondered if this were some kind of media mistake. So, I went to the embassy website. Sure enough...our governement just oozes with charity and concern for its citizens:

"The Department of State reminds American citizens that the U.S. government does not provide no-cost transportation but does have the authority to provide repatriation loans to those in financial need. For the portion of your trip directly handled by the U.S. Government we will ask you to sign a promissory note and we will bill you at a later date."

Posted by: Solonor at July 18, 2006 02:33 AM