Yesterday's WaPo story that HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt is the heaviest user of CDC's Emergency jet is being played like a scandal. This is the most scandal-prone administration in recent memory, not a surprise. But I'm of two minds about it (or maybe 1.56 minds). First the details.
Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt defended his extensive use in recent months of a jet leased to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for emergency use.
Leavitt's explanation for his use of the jet occurred at a hearing Wednesday of the House Ways and Means Committee. Moments earlier, Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., had accused Leavitt of using the jet to "do public relations for the president" on the new drug benefit.
Leavitt, however, said he used the plane in an appropriate manner, and he thanked lawmakers for making it available. He said he simply could not have overseen the implementation of the new benefit, plus help prepare states for a potential flu pandemic, without the use of the plane.
"I'm deeply appreciative of the fact that Congress made this available for this kind of circumstance," Leavitt said.Lewis cited an article in Wednesday's Atlanta Journal Constitution, which analyzed the Gulfstream III's flight log and found that the 14-seat aircraft has been used primarily by Leavitt to attend news conferences promoting the new Medicare prescription drug plan and meetings with state officials over their flu pandemic plans. The flights cost more than $700,000 since January, the newspaper reported. (AP via WaPo)
Leavitt has done yeoman duty in his goal of visiting all 50 states to urge them to prepare for a possible avian influenza pandemic. By and large he has done this responsibly and effectively, even if the Admionstration he carries water for has effectively put the coup de grace to a moribund public health infrastructure. The simple truth is that unless hard pressed state health departments get a real signal from "on high" that this is a priority they will be using their time and resources to put out daily fires rather than making the house safe for a future inferno. I give Leavitt some credit for doing this. If he used CDC's jet sometimes for the purpose, well, OK. The time he would waste standing in line and taking his shoes on and off on commercial flights doesn't seem worth it if this is what is needed for him to get out there to do this job.
On the other hand, Leavitt has also used the jet to do a PR sales job for the Administration's piece of shit prescription drug plan. Using CDC's "emergency jet" for this purpose seems (and is) outrageous. The story reported that for five emergencies during this period, CDC had to use another plane twice because Leavitt was using the Gulfstream.
So I might grudgingly accept Leavitt's use of the plane occasionally served a reasonable purpose (consistent with giving CDC the ability to respond in a public health emergency). Maybe. But going out to sell a drug plan that is nothing more than a PR boondoggle?
Give me a break.
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I have to concede partial defeat to the Reveres on this one. Use of a leased jet of the CDC when its supposed to be around for emergencies like ebola, H5, smallpox you know emergencies and that kind of stuff is outta line. The cost is though in line for what a G3-5 would cost at about 5000 per hour give or take a nickel. Doesnt include the waiting time for the plane to sit while he gives speeches though.
Its debatable whether it was a PR blitz for the President though. That one I will leave up in the air with the plane. On the other hand Hillary Clinton used Air Force 2 to run up a whopping 23 million in costs (not to mention security detail costs) to run around the US trying to drum up support for the "Universal Health Care" plan that fizzled. Those costs are absorbed by the Congress as "off budget" money. She could have just as easily asked for a SabreLiner from the DoD or the G-5 of the Justice Department, or the G-4 of the Dept of the Interior, or the then G3 of the HHS. Hell of a lot cheaper than running around in a flying hardened nuclear silo. But its Hillary, she wanted to look presidential.
No, I think this deal was more like Leavitt was looking around for someone who had travel budgeted that wasnt being used. In the administrative world of our government its "use it or lose it". If you have it budgeted and you dont use it, there are people in the Congress that will say, "well why would you want that, you didnt take advantage of it last year? "
In the military, every September there was a flurry of buying when the overages from budgeted that weren't spent were rolled into the base budgets. New carpets, paint, maybe a command car or two, always new roofs and lawnmowers. Once they complete budgeted jobs and theres anything left over they would roll it over. Revere would love the fact that in 1979 that this kind of money paid for an off base boob job for a 3 star general in command there in Biloxi MS... yeah he got caught. She got to keep the boobs and he was discharged. His wife didnt like the boob job.... No sense of humor.
Reveres are right to a major degree here. There are a lot of cheaper planes, with a little coordination they could use just about anyone and that means Dems and Republicans whoever is in charge. But the S. Service will not let any cabinet member onto a plane without that plane and operation being reviewed by the service. The DOJ owns a super duper couple of G-4 and 5's. They are flying command posts that could be pressed into services as alternate Air Force One's. It doesnt matter what plane they are all on as a group or individually, only that they cost as much as an airliner (B727) to operate.
Political appearances.... all part of the program and both sides of the aisle. At least Pfizer didnt send the corporate jet to pick him up as they did for Al Gore.
Based on the new report by the Institute of Medicine on overcrowding of emergency rooms and, in some cases, outright closure all federal officials in responsible positions with respect to our health care system need to stop flying around and sit down to get a grip on what we really could be facing in a U.S. pandemic.
Personally, I think that standing in line and having to take their shoes off is good for them, all of them. Kind of makes them remember they are public servants (remember that?) and not the anointed. Citizens just like the rest of us, what a concept.
Sorry he may have to use regular tranportation like "the little people" (you remember, the only ones who pay taxes?). If they had to stand in line, walk in their socks, get crammed in coach, have no meal and get their bags lost, might help break "the bubble" they live in.
Sadly no folks, you wont see any ES level or cabinet position people on any commercial flights without the approval of the Secret Service, and that aint gonnna happen. Its a security risk because of the daily briefings they get...
So wheel out the company lear... We are off to Danbury Ct.