it's a function of government, mark. can't gov't inform citizens of what it's done?

campaigns try to get people elected and re-elected. while legislative accomplishment is something for a campaign to brag about, they also have to fight an opponent. that often requires a lot of dollars.

i don't see an issue with gov't notifying people of what it's done. besides, the franking spending comes out of one fixed budget that all congressional offices get, which i'm sure you know. so what does it matter if davis chooses to spend the money on hiring people to serve or sending out mailers with information about medicare and stuff like that?

it seems to me that the mailers would often be more valuable than putting someone on the dole.

I know Anne use to abuse this, and Davis definitely did, not idea about Larry Hopkins. But Yarmuth? Maybe you're saying using a single mailing is abusing it, but then it's uniform. Generally when looking at abuse of this, you check what they spend in the non election year, versus the election year. Davis spends approx. 4 times as much during an election year as non-election year.

My problem is that John hasn't be through an re-election yet. To add him to that list seems ridiculous. If you're adding him because he has done a mailer, and you think they shouldn't ever do a single one, fine, but I think you added him to have a 'D' on the list with the three Republicans who has (Northup and Davis for sure) abused it during tight re-elections.

Give 'em hell, Hebert!

It is a waste of tax payer money.

The newst way to spend and campaign on the tax payer dime, it takes more than a nickel these days, has just been exhibited by Ben Chandler. Not only did he produce a tax payer funded mailer he paid the Lexington Herald Leader to have it inserted inside the newspaper and have it sent all over the state.

Which is worse?

the statement davis made on that page that nickolas erroneously pointed out was the difference in spending between election and non-election years -- not the sum of spending in any one year.

Well for one thing,9:29, Davis DOUBLED the amount for which he criticized Lucas (Lucas $80,828 / Davis $165,316 ) And Davis is #4 on the list as the biggest abusers of the franking privilege -- now, where's your outrage? Yeah, I thought so.

"Ken Lucas has violated the trust of Kentucky's hard working families by this obvious abuse of tax payer dollars," said Geoff Davis, Republican candidate for Congress. "As Congressman, I will not use the hard-earned money of taxpayers to fund my campaign. I believe that the 4th District's next Congressman should help working families, not abuse their trust. In a time when many families are struggling, this shows how out of touch Mr. Lucas is with the District," remarked Mr. Davis."

And then he went and did it anyway. Davis is as Davis does.