Palin Collected Money For Staying Home

In a story that actually includes the sentence,"...the former governor was moose hunting and could not be reached to comment," the Washington Post is reporting today that self-styled "Maverick" government reformer Sarah Palin drew a per diem for travel expenses while staying in her home:

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a "per diem" allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business.

The report goes on to say that the expense is within the applicable rules, but are these the actions of a lean, mean crusader against government waste?

I can tell you that, while I was in Denver last month, I was entitled to a per diem. As it turned out, I spent a mere fraction of what I was allotted. Now, I could have spent the week stocking up on razors and chewing gum, but that just didn't seem right to me.

On the other hand, the $16,9551.00 in per diem expenses she collected while staying at home could have been a lot more. I understand she used Expedia to find the lowest fare from her living room to her kitchen.

Tommy Christopher co-hosts "Unusable Signal," the #1 Progressive Politics show on BlogTalkRadio, airing Tuesdasy and Thursdays at 9pm, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 11pm. Click here for the Unusable Signal homepage.