Dem
47
GOP
53
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem likes to think big, even though her department has no funding right now. She also thinks leaders, like herself, should be able to lead in style. In particular, she is in the process of buying three luxury private jets. Two are Gulfstream G700 luxury jets that cost $200 million together. These are the top of the top tier of private jets. But the biggest and nicest of them all is a Boeing 737 Max 8, that goes for a more "affordable" $70 million. It holds 18 passengers, and has a fully-equipped kitchen, a bar, showers, four flat-screen TVs, and a cozy bedroom with a soft queen-size bed for two. This is needed because Noem frequently travels with her adviser and constant companion, Corey Lewandowski, and on long trips, people get tired and need to sleep. Here is the bedroom:
When asked about the luxury 737, a DHS spokesman said: "This new plane will serve dual missions—both as ICE deportation flights and for cabinet level travel. This plane flies at 40% cheaper than what the military aircraft flies for ICE deportation flights—saving the American taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars. This is part of Secretary Noem's broader efforts to clamp down on inefficiencies and save taxpayer dollars."
Yup, maybe the idea is to let deportees buy tickets on the jet so if they are going to be deported anyway, at least let it be in style. For the record, the luxury jet might actually be cheaper per hour in the air, but the military aircraft used for deportations hold 50-100 deportees and have eyelets on them to shackle "passengers" to their assigned locations. Can't have them sneaking into first class, after all.
On the other hand, Noem recently flew to Tel Aviv on the 737, which DHS is currently renting, and the other passengers (who were not being deported to Israel), were given a brochure about the plane that detailed its features. It noted the plane's "exceptional interior design by renowned New York designer Peter Marino." It also said "No expense has been spared and every detail has been meticulously executed." We are not sure how "saving the American taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars" and "no expense has been spared" work together to provide a seamless picture of how deportation works.
If the Democrats are smart, one of their themes in the midterms could be a comparison between the cruelty of the regime to immigrants and the utter corruption of the leaders. One would have to go back to the Russian revolution or maybe the French revolution to find parallels. This is the kind of stuff people can easily understand. (V)