USAToday: Wexler Is Congress’s Travel King
BY BUDDY NEVINS
It seems our very own Robert Wexler travels more than any other member of Congress.
That’s according to an examination of congressional records by USAToday published today.
Wexler in Jerusalem With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
The USAToday story is here.
The Boca Raton Democrat — he also represents a chunk of north Broward — spent $266,000 on 33 trips over six years.
Wexler doesn’t get it. Our primary problem is here, not in some foreign land.
It’s the economy, stupid.
Wexler’s chats with foreign leaders will do nothing to improve the lives of the voters of his district. Despite being a senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Relations, Wexler’s trips have not curtailed terrorism or gotten us closer to a Arab-Israeli peace treaty.
One problem: Wexler is sooooo identified with Israel.
Good politics in his Boca Raton-based district, but that means he will never be accepted as an honest broker by Arab leaders he meets.
Of course, Arab leaders meet with Wexler. He’s a important member of Congress. But the Sheiks are probably shaking with laughter when Wexler walks out the door.
That Israeli-lover wants us to do what?!? Get me Obama on the phone.
Foreign affairs problems can only be solved by President Barack Obama. Obama’s foreign counterparts want to be courted directly by the president.
Here is how Wexler explains his travel on his website:
“Throughout his tenure in Congress, Congressman Wexler has been outspoken advocate for the unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel. He has traveled on numerous congressional delegations to the Middle East and met with the leaders of Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Kuwait, Turkey, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe, Congressman Wexler has worked to strengthen the transatlantic alliance, build security and economic bonds with the European Union and the nations of Europe, and help guide the economic and political development of the former Soviet States.
Is it spin. . . or has he really accomplished anything?
July 16th, 2009 at 9:02 am
There are 435 Members of Congress and 100 US Senators. Congressman Wexler is a senior point person on Israel in Congress.
The notion that Members of Congress should only pay attention to domestic issues is an unusual viewpoint. The notion that engagement in foreign policy and diplomacy doesn’t improve the lives of Americans is a simplistic view that is grossly inaccurate. I think wars impact people at home, I think lack of trade impacts people at home, I think that medical and technological exchange affects people at home, and I think the state of world affairs is absolutely related to the state of this nation. All of these things are, in part, organized through diplomatic channels.
America’s interest in Israel is both understandable and significant. We have responsibilities to our national interest and to the world to be actively engaged with that Israel and all nations and regions. The foreign policy efforts of Congress is coordinated with the State Department and overseen through Congressional Committees. Members of Congress have played an important role in the nation’s diplomatic process since America was founded. Foreign policy has never been the duty of just the executive branch. Frankly, no one source should be ever trusted on that most important issue. Having only one source of information, or misinformation as the case might be, is what got us into Iraq.
Some Members of Congress focus on Israel, others focus on other nations. This is entirely customary and appropriate to our system of government.
Israel is far away and the issues require face-to-face involvement, explaining why travel is involved. I am not always a Robert Wexler fan and disagree with him in certain respects.
I really don’t see what issue or concern is being raised here. Is the suggestion that Wexler is on vacation in Israel, that he doesn’t do official business there?
FROM BUDDY: Obviously members of Congress have a role to play in foreign affairs. But Wexler seems obsessed by foreign affairs, judging from all the time he is traveling.
Does Wexler have to travel more than any other member of Congress? Wouldn’t the district be better served if he traveled less and used that time for domestic affairs. Maybe he should travel around his district — not a staged town hall event, but incognito — and see what really concerns his constituents.
July 16th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Robert Wexler is a do-nothing congressman who was lucky enough to endorse Barack Obama. What did it get him?
July 16th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Buddy, if are you getting a sense from his constituents that Wexler isn’t around enough, that he’s grown out of touch with them, that’s one thing. But I’m not hearing any such thing. In fact, despite the reality that he doesn’t live in Florida, not really, his constituency seems cemented to him as never before.
The simple answers in life tend to be the true ones.
Isn’t it just possible that the reason he travels so much to Israel is that Israel continues to find itself in one of the most messed up situation in history — and because he’s one of the point people with that problem?
If there’s proof of misuse of public dollars, that’s something. But to sling suggestions around like that, it’s just not impressive and I respect you to much not to say so.
We need to stop this trend of attacking public officials without good cause. That’s just bad for business all around. If you have a reason, fine. If not, show respect.
July 19th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Robert Wexler doesn’t like Florida and uses every excuse to stay away. Read the stories in the Sun-Sentinel about how he really lives in Washington. He is a zero.