Another Day, Another Junket for Ways and Means

 

by Pa Rock

Citizen Journalist

Jason Smith, a Republican congressman from rural Missouri, and his colleagues on the House Ways and Means Committee headed to the airport last week for another government junket, this time to the Las Vegas Strip.  Smith, who heads the Ways and Means Committee, a fact he never forgets to mention (usually multiple times) in his weekly email newsletter to constituents and funders, began the practice of what he calls "field hearings" as a way to bring government to the people, when he assumed chairmanship of the committee in 2023.  The meetings also give congressmen like Smith, who sleep in their offices while in Washington, DC, a welcome opportunity to sleep on real beds in nice hotel rooms.

According to news reports, in addition to "bringing government to the people," a major push on this particular trip was to meddle in Nevada politics and try to make sure that hospitality workers in Vegas and Nevada, of which there are many, give Republicans credit for the elimination of taxes on tips, a provision in the recently passed federal legislation that also reduces taxes of millionaires and billionaires while cutting medical care and food assistance to those in need - including, one would imagine, hospitality workers.  In reality, the move to eliminate taxes on tips was pushed by members of both parties.

But politicians in general, and Republicans in particular, never go anywhere without checking in with the big boys, and while the Ways and Means Committee was in Vegas, at least three gaming industry CEO's managed to get a meeting with Chairman Smith to argue for restoring the tax deductions for gambling losses from 90% to 100%, and Smith promised to work to make that happen.

Smith's weekly email came out on Sunday night, and, odd as it may seem, he forgot to mention the trip to  Vegas that he and his committee took on the taxpayer's dime last week.  I guess he didn't think that the folks in Willow Springs, and Edgar Springs, and Tbayer would be interested in how Congress is spending their money.

Happy travels, Jason!