Arrogant Politicians

[mikoyan29]

I was reading a story in Aviation Week tonight. Apparently Senator Inhofe from Oklahoma landed on a closed runway. The FAA wasn't too pleased with that and took disciplinary action. Now apparently, he wants to strike back.

http://www.rawstory.com/rawreplay/20...rport-workers/

Yes, I realize he is a Senator...but I thought we had elected officials here and not royalty...My bad.

[HYHYBT]

It certainly *sounds* like striking back the way that article is written, and certainly he was in the wrong in landing there, but the legislation proposed (as described in a page linked to by that article) doesn't sound bad.

[mikoyan29]

The legislation doesn't sound bad, I guess. But to me it sounds more like a politician getting back at a group that cut him some slack instead of doing what htye should have. I mean...I'm not a pilot and even I can figure out what the giant X on a runway means.

[protege]

I heard about the incident awhile ago. Sadly, this sort of thing really doesn't surprise me. I mean, there's one set of rules for rich people (or at least government officials), and then one set of rules for everyone else. Can you imagine what would have happened if I'd done that? I'd be not only losing my license, but heavily fined and possible jail time. This asshole gets off with a slap on the wrist, and he's crying foul? Are you fucking kidding me?

They get away with this shit, because there's really no way to nail them. It's not just the feds either--we have quite a bit of this shit on a local level.

For example, ex-governor Rendell loved to be driven fast on the turnpike. Anyone want to guess who managed to get out of tickets?

City of Pittsburgh mayor Luke Ravenstahl got arrested in 2005 for shoving a city police officer. Even though he was led away in cuffs...he didn't get into trouble. He had his friends make the charges 'disappear.' Two years later, he used a Homeland Security-funded vehicle...to attend a Toby Keith concert. Lastly, when we had the 3-feet snowstorms in 2010...he disappeared. When called on it, he threw a tantrum...like the spoiled little bitch he is.

He, and the others, get away with things for one reason or another. Maybe it's because of their connections, their ability to screw people over, or simply because nobody wants to deal with their antics. Also, they can easily bend the rules (you know, the ones meant for us 'little people') or even enact new ones to make what they did...totally legal.

[bainsidhe]

I'm not a pilot, so I don't know squat about how hard it is to work with the FAA. On the surface, the legislation sound okay, but the cause for it was a jerk move. Did the guy ever apologize or admit to acting negligently? He could've killed someone! Or is that okay since he has over 10,000 flight hours and is being questioned by the big bad FAA?

Locally we have a senator Aliesi who, a couple years ago, broke into someone's house to snoop around. It was being built in a new development and he wanted to check it out. The front door was locked, so he gained entry thru a back door. It was still under constructions and there were no stairs built, so he climbed a ladder...and fell off and hurt his leg.

The owners decided not to press charges for trespassing, how generous of them. Immediately after the time limit passed where the owners could have the senator charged, Aliesi started a lawsuit for damages due to his injury. He finally withdrew the lawsuit, but only because of the very fierce and vocal public outcry. Not because it was his own fault. Not because he was breaking the law. And not because he was just being an idiot all around.