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| Rep. McCollum is displeased |
“This vote was an important test for Republicans and Democrats as to whether they have the stomach to cut wasteful Pentagon spending at a time when Washington is facing trillion dollar deficits.," said McCollum in a written media release. "Unfortunately, a majority decided taxpayer-funded race cars and bass fishing were more important than deficit reduction.
"The good news is a broad bipartisan group of 202 conservatives, moderates, and progressives came together for the good of our children’s fiscal future," said McCollum. "My colleague, Rep. Jack Kingston, has been a terrific partner on this issue, and I think together we’ve demonstrated that first and foremost we are legislators working for the best interest of the American people.”
I don't think she has a grasp on the reality of money within DOD. That money is earmarked for the services to use in recruiting and advertising and it will be. If the bill had passed, the money would have been moved to other advertisers! Nothing like what she wants to do with the money.
ReplyDeleteLike someone else said, low hanging fruit. She doesn't understand how many jobs this provides. And I will bet my last nickle she's NEVER been to a race.
DeleteDoug From NJ
Sounds like she thinks that passing an actual budget for the last 3 years is all that important either.
ReplyDeleteF-22 Upgrades Over Budget and Behind Schedule, F-35 May Cost $1T in Operating Costs
ReplyDeleteThe F-35 program is also again the center of focus on costs. This time lawmakers and military commanders are looking at the long-term costs of maintaining and operating the F-35 fleet. The Pentagon has estimated that the cost to operate the F-35 fighters through 2065 will be more than $1 trillion.
http://www.dailytech.com/F22+Upgrades+Over+Budget+and+Behind+Schedule+F35+May+Cost+1T+in+Operating+Costs/article21692.htm
$One TRILLION dollars to operate these fighters through 2065. ONE TRILLION DOLLARS. Does anyone else see the absurdity of the Congresswoman's bill?
Stupid Americans, don't they know they should trust their politicians? I mean c'mon!! 72 million is a big savings! I'm sure it's by far the biggest item in the budget. I mean, after all, it's a $3.8 trillion budget - that's 12 zeroes for those counting at home.
ReplyDeleteWhich means that she's all hot and bothered over NOT EVEN 2/1000 of 1%!!
And apparently recruiting to our volunteer military isn't as important to her as her $45 million light rail improvement that she wanted for St. Paul. But that's money spent on HER stuff.
She defends her earmark spending ($8.6 million in 2010) by saying to Minnesota Public Radio "[Earmarks are] one half of one percent of the entire federal budget," so apparently 1/2 of 1% is ok, but it's SO small. but less than 2/1000 of 1% is wasteful.
Typical hypocritical politicians...cut spending they don't agree with so they can spend it on soemthing they DO. It's NEVER cut it for cutting's sake.
http://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/51508/Betty_Louise_McCollum.html if you'd like a little transparency in your discussion. Here's a site that breaks down ALL of her well-justified spending.
In Betty McCollum's home state of Minnesota, they spend about 200 MILLION dollars per year on illegal aliens. That includes education as well as incarceration, health care, etc. Her voting records, which are public, shows she is a radical leftist who is pro-illegal alien, for open borders and unfettered immigration, anti-military, anti-Second Amendment, against defense of conventional marriage. The good people of MN owe their state a good housecleaning on election day and should throw her out with the trash.
ReplyDeleteFortunately, a majority decided that the military was the best equipped to decide how to maximize their recruiting budget.
ReplyDeleteTypical politician thinking they know better than the people actually doing the job.
I still think that this whole thing smacks of politics. Real or perceived, NASCAR demographics have the appearance of right-leaning, 2nd Amendment supporting, God-fearing, more likely to be Republican than Democrat fans. This was just another way that a Democratic representative thought that she could stick it to the Republicans, and Rep. Kingston, in all of his Tea Party swagger got caught up in the hoopala.
ReplyDeleteGranted Kingston is a NASCAR fan, after all he did have a Ford F-150 with an Eanhardt Sr. sticker on it for 3 or 4 years(http://motorsports-soapbox.blogspot.com/2012/07/lawmakers-defeat-amendment-barring.html#comment-form), but had either he or Rep. McCollum, had taken the time to attend a race or two, they would have seen the wonderful way that that the Armed Forces interacted, not only with NASCAR, but also potential recruits. Every race there are hundreds of recruit age civilians that meet, talk to, and are influenced by members of the military.
Of course there are no numbers to quantify how many new recruits are a result of the NASCAR program because the recruitment papers are signed with the local recruiters in their hometowns, not at the race track. Data for some programs cannot be quantified, but the programs are still successful. Unfortunately the Federal Government isn't one of them.
Republicans don't have a lock on God fearing or gun owning, not by a long shot. And you insult those of us who believe in God but not necessarily your brand of politics.
DeleteDoug from NJ
Doug, I re-read Ricks comments, and I think you are off base. He appeared to me to be speaking of how Rep McCollum was thinking, not necessarily how he was thinking. I happen to think that he brings up a great point. He seems spot on to me.
Deletei didnt realize there is a georgia congressman involved in this, i will be calling his office today to show my displeasure with his actions
ReplyDeleteShe doesn't grasp anything ,deficit reduction is a pipe dream And impossible to ever do !!
ReplyDeleteHow about saving billions by dumping the Fed education and energy depths. They create nor promote nothing.
ReplyDeleteJiust a reminder to everyone to KEEP IT CIVIL! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteIf Congress decides to cut the Army's budget and the Army, in turn, to cuts down on its advertising, so be it. They every right to do so. For Congress to tell the Army where to spend its advertising money, well, it's just plain wrong.
ReplyDeleteExactly. The Congress should not undertake legislative action (we have too much regulatory action already) to prohibit the military from advertising and recruiting in any venue for which they can show a legitimate return on the investment, regardless of how personally distasteful a particular Congressional member(s) may find that venue. If the military cannot show a legitimate return on their investment, which was Congressman Kingston's point in the great inteview Dave onducted with him, the Congress already has the authority to reduce their budget accordingly. If Congressman Kingston's numbers were anywhere near accurate, it appears the military is acutely remiss. They have to be accountable for the expenditure, and should be able to produce a marketing plan to demonstrate research showing motorsports to be a target rich environment for recruitment, strategies to include: advertising, banners, event and team sponsorships, kiosks, recruitment booths at events, etc., with projected and recorded returns, etc. Madison avenue has been doing such things since the 1950's. Maybe the Nascar marketing wizards can be of assistance in providing the numbers and marketing tools that will help keep the military as a strong presence in our sport.
DeleteMcCollum is just another Democrat who refuses to get it - the deficit is driven entirely by ENTITLEMENT SPENDING, nothing else. McCollum, get this - the entitlement pyramid schemes hoisted on the country from Social Security onward are bankrupt and draining trillions of borrowed money. Attack that.
ReplyDeleteI'd bet IF it was Kyle Busch getting the National Guard money, It would have passed!
ReplyDelete