Tuesday, July 10, 2012

McCollum Revels In Army's Withdrawal

Rep. Betty McCollum (D - MN)
Minnesota Congresswoman Betty McCollum declared victory today in her battle to abolish military sponsorships in NASCAR. Responding to news that the U.S. Army will not return as major sponsor of Ryan Newman’s No. 39 Stewart Haas Racing Chevrolet next season, McCollum issued a statement heralding the decision and restating her frequent – though erroneous – claim that the amendment she authored along with Georgia Republican Jack Kingston barring sports sponsorships by the military will save taxpayers money.

“By ending its sponsorship of NASCAR, the Army made the right move to eliminate a wasteful program and protect taxpayer dollars – which has been my goal all along,” wrote McCollum. “Congress is facing a very difficult budget environment, and I want taxpayer dollars protected – even at the Pentagon. I applaud the Army’s decision to terminate its funding of NASCAR. The Army now joins the Navy and Marine Corps in terminating its NASCAR partnership. I will continue to work to save taxpayer dollars by ending all of the Pentagon’s multi-million dollar professional sports sponsorships of motor racing, bass fishing and ultimate fighting." 

For the record, the McCollum/Kingston amendment does not include a single penny in tax cuts, instead merely mandating where the Pentagon cannot spend its money.

28 comments:

  1. How is Congress facing a difficult budget environment?

    Because of the trillions per year spent on entitlement pyramid schemes.

    Social Security et al have been bankrupt for years (Obama even admitted last August that SS was paid for by borrowing money) yet the Democrats insist on not dealing with it. Betty McCollum is as stupid as anyone else in Congress.

    It's the Democrat Congress that needs to stop the spending, not pro sports sponsorships by the services.

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  2. Dennis M.7:19 PM

    I'm hoping the Chicken Ranch sponsors them. What's next? Gov't workers paychecks(taxpayer dollars)can only be spent in certain areas? She sure seems to have alot of hate towards sporting events...

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  3. Anonymous7:20 PM

    i guess in my spare time I will campaign against her and hold a pep rally when she is unemployed. Thanks to her and the guy in Georgia.

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  4. If she is so worried about "tax-payer" money, she could always take a frickin' pay-cut...just sayin'....

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  5. Anonymous7:21 PM

    She probably wont make a second term...

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  6. ManitobaJay7:33 PM

    Unless i'm reading it wrong she says protect not cut.She considers NASCAR a waste of money(I strongly disagree).If the army budget is 1billion she wants it all to to other departments,i.e.army hospitals,planes,training,etc.instead of diverting a portion of the budget to recuitment through our sport.Trimming the fat is an excellent way to better utilize the budget however the peanuts given to NASCAR (compared to the total budget)will not noticably affect the the army as a whole it will negativly affect recruitment as well as moral.

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  7. Give us a break Lady.... You are a joke just like all the rest of the politicians in this country... I promise you the people in the Army and the people considering joining the army don't consider it a victory im sure most of them were proud they were a sponsor in NASCAR....

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  8. andrew7:43 PM

    Nothing like a sore winner

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  9. "For the record, the McCollum/Kingston amendment does not include a single penny in tax cuts, instead merely mandating where the Pentagon cannot spend its money" - So how does this save the taxpayer any money. The same amount of taxpayer money is spent. So does this mean that the military will have to result to a draft to get people to join. These congressmen/women have no idea what successful recruiting and marketing is all about. College's spend money marketing their schools and if the military is going to be successful in marketing and recruiting they need to get their message out to potential candidates through events and sports that they are interested in not to mention what it does for moral.

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  10. Anonymous8:02 PM

    What about their program in NHRA with Tony Schumacher? Are they renewing?

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    1. I read on jayski.com that they were.

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    2. Anonymous7:41 PM

      I believe I read they are renewing nhra

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  11. Anonymous8:20 PM

    Enjoyed the blog!

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  12. You are absolutely right, Moody. The money that is spent on " funding" NASCAR is money that is appropriated and earmarked specifically for recruitment. I am sure that these funds will not be withdrawn but will now have to be spent in other ways. Appropriated funds cannot be carried over to other years! So these recruitment monies will be spent, therefore saving the tax payers nothing. It is too bad that our congressional representatives only seek to make themselves look good. Too bad they don't know more about the Federal budget process they preside over.

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  13. I am contacting my local representative over this Dave and I urge everyone else to do the same. No one loves this country or it Military as much as us NASCAR fans. We cannot sit idly by while things we treasure are being taken away in the name of "The Greater Good"

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  14. Todd from the Jeff Gordon bathroom11:55 PM

    Disappointed that Army wont be back. But I am glad they aren't sponsoring the ultimate fighting thing though, dont care for the violence of that sport. I am guessing that McCollum doesn't watch many Nascar races?

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  15. Anonymous1:36 AM

    Interesting, ultimate fighting too? Army is heavily advertised in that sport as well, which is another perfect sports sponsorship for the army. It's sad to see such old school thinking win. Time to go back to hanging 'We want you!' posters. Chances are she won't fight to cut sponsorship of women's softball anytime soon.

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  16. I served as a Navy Recruiter for 3 years, 2 at a recruiting station and 1 as the PAO at the district HQ. I put 63 young men and women into the Navy and referred countless others to our sister services. In my 3 years within the recruiting command I NEVER...repeat NEVER had a person walk into my office and tell me they wanted to join the Navy because they saw a magazine ad, or received a Navy frizbee, or watched the Blue Angels at a local airshow. We got the bulk of our prospects from visiting local high schools and colleges, referrals from applicants/enlistees, cold calls, and responses from blind ads in local newspapers. The sponsorship of race teams by the armed services is more of a 'feel good' recognition for the personnel already in the service. There is a huge sense of pride when an armed forces sponsored car wins an event, be it NASCAR, NHRA, etc...

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  17. Anonymous11:48 AM

    why is the army still sporting nhra ???

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  18. Anonymous1:27 PM

    As a Nascar fan and a supporter of our military, I enjoyed watching the various teams circle the track.

    Nevertheless, as a taxpayer, I have always doubted the cost effectiveness of Nascar sponsorhip by our military. If there are more effective recruiting tools, the money should be allocated there.

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  19. Anonymous1:53 PM

    She is comparing apples to oranges as most politicians do. This money will probably just go to t.v. adds. I would rather watch a car with ARMY, NATIONAL GUARD, NAVY, U.S. AIRFORCE, COAST GUARD, MARINES, ETC., at a race where most of the people appreciate and honor our service men and woman. This woman has no clue. You want to save tax payers money? Take a cut in your pay, stop riding around in limos, stop flying everywhere at Gov expense, stop taking your grossly over inflated health insurance, stop giving people who are elected to Congress such huge retirement benefits when they only serve a few years. The list can go on and on. Oh yeah, stop eating like pigs in expensive places and I would love to see what hotels these people stay in. Bet it is not anything rated below 5 stars. Nascar fans should really remember these politicians when they are up for re-election as we do count in the millions. She probably wants to take away our 2nd admendment rights too.

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  20. Anonymous2:19 PM

    I know this isn't the popular opinion on here, but I think she and Kingston are doing the right thing here. If they sponsor UFC, NASCAR, other big Auto sports, where does it all end ? Do they advertise at MLB, NBA, NFL, or NCAA events ? I think the money is better spent for the troops themselves.. higher pay, better programs for the physically injured, better programs for those suffering from post traumatic stress, etc, etc. I think some of you are letting your love for NASCAR cloud your decision making. Signed, Anonymous Bob

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    1. Anonymous1:22 PM

      That's where there's a problem she does'nt say the money can be spent elsewhere in the forces it is still recruitment money just cannot spend on sponsoring sports teams. It would be great if it could be used for retraining of veterans after exiting the military or affordable housing or better pay but the proposal was to cut out sports sponsorships. Taxpayers are still paying same amount no matter what, sucks but true.

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  21. Chris McKane3:03 PM

    I used to think that we should replace diapers and politicians frequently, for the same reason. I'm now thinking that politicians should simply be hung.

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  22. Anonymous5:45 PM

    Bass fishing I can go with, NASCAR and ultimate fighting not so much. NASCAR and Fighting is the type of people I would think the ARMY would want. I know I would if I had to choose.

    On the other side, Marketing is always one of the first to be cut in the private sector. This department only thrives when the business has a good profit margin and the Government does not. We need to either gain more money (Taxes) or cut some departments(social services)...(this would also cut jobs) ... plain and simple.

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  23. Anonymous7:42 AM

    She really needs to be held accountable. If she is so concerned about tax payer dollars why is she voting for programs like "Cash for Clunkers", Government stimulus, and Obamacare? The govtrack website lists her as a "far left Democrat".

    Regarding "earmarks" in the budget, sometimes referred to as government pork projects...she has said "[Earmarks are] one half of one percent of the entire federal budget, this is for local communities. I'm a big supporter of local control, especially when it comes to spending some of our tax dollars."

    Some that she has sponsored include 2.6M to buy land to prevent development, 2.5M for "farm management education grants", 2M for "bovine tuberculousis research", 2M for a "trail link" and the list goes on and on.

    What a hypocrite.

    Kevin F.

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  24. Anonymous1:16 PM

    Polititians are like a rash, everyone knows how to cure the problem but nobody wants to get there hands dirty curing the problem. This congressperson identified the rash ie sponsoring sports by the military, then scratched it until it hurt and then waited on the military to apply the oingtment in the cancellation of NASCAR program. She's smart but wicked in her ways. No cuts just re-allocation of where moneys can be spent to recruit potential service people.

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  25. Anonymous7:37 PM

    MINN VIKES NEW STADIUM COSTS

    The team would pay 49 percent of construction costs: $477 million, which is $50 million more than owners initially committed. But the total public expense is slightly higher: $348 million for the state and $150 million for the city of Minneapolis. But she's worried about military sponsored race cars? WTH!

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