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Sequester Grounds Blue Angels
SchrodingerZ writes "The Blue Angels squadron, known for their intricate and death-defying aerial demonstrations, has canceled all scheduled air shows for the rest of the year. The United States Navy, which controls the Blue Angels, has reported that the grounding comes from the massive rollbacks in spending, due to the 85 billion dollar sequestration given by the federal government. In a statement from the office of the Commander Naval Air Forces in San Diego, the Navy said, 'Recognizing budget realities, current Defense policy states that outreach events can only be supported with local assets at no cost to the governmen.' Currently, the cost of an air show is above $100,000. This story came just a week after the announcement by the Air Force that their Thunderbird shows will also be canceled."
This is a GREAT place to stop spending money we don't have. If ticket sales can't cover the costs, fuck 'em.
There are no cuts in the so-called "sequester cuts". A cut is when you spend less than you did previously.
What the Navy's doing here is known in DC as the "washington monument gambit". Any time a bureaucracy doesn't get as much money as they want, they pick out the most popular thing that they do, and claim that they can't do it anymore due to lack of funds, in hopes that this will garner public support for their whole pork barrel. For the department of the Interior, it's closing the washington monument. For the white house, it's cutting off white house tours.
The truth is, if the navy could afford the Blue Angels last year, they can afford it this year.
-jcr
The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
From the rest of us: You're fucking welcome we have been paying for this so your businesses can make a profit for their PRIVATE companys.
Lets stop doing that shit now. because socialisim is bad m'kay.
Yeah don't stop the trillion dollar wars.
Don't stop the money printing.
Don't stop the money wasting.
Stop the stupid air shows, close down airport towers..
Austerity for all except the bankers, the war mongers blah..
"studies estimates nearly $2 billion dollars goes to illegal aliens annually"
Navy Budget is $180 billion, and that's just the Navy part, not the army, Airforce, NSA CIA etc.
At some point you gotta bite the bullet and trim it, not 'pretend trim it', not 'increase it this time (again) and promise to cut it in future', CUT IT!
Suppose illegal immigrants DO cost $2 billion, and you find a way to save that without shifting it to mortuary costs, and road cleaning services and border patrol costs. YOU NEED TO CUT $900 BILLION A YEAR off the budget! Get a grip, stop making excuses, stop blaming other, CUT SPENDING, RAISE TAXES, get on and fix it already!
"Stop peddling that argument. Private solutions are never cheaper."
Navy is not in the entertainment business. If they're running Blue Angels at a loss, then they should stop. Sell the planes, sack the pilots. If it makes a profit, cancelling them would be dumb. So they're running Blue Angels at a loss.
How about Navy boat trips? If they're so much cheaper than private boat trips, I'm sure they'll put the competition out of business!
If Army is so cheap, how come I can hire a clown for my daughter birthday from the private sector? Where's the Army clown here to entertain my daughter for cheaper, yet still more profit? How about a pony ride from the cavalry division?
Navy are not in the entertainment business, they have no business running airshows at a loss anyway. The planes need to go, the pilots need to go, that should be done by the private sector.
USA is not a socialist planned economy where gravy train military gets all the money it wants and runs theatres and shows and pony rides and whatever. Those planes are not fit for military use and withdrawing them, shows the Navy confirms that!
i think you're confusing socialism and capitalism
socialism is what obama is doing... forcefully taking money of private citizens and distributing it
capitalism is private citizens engaging in business for voluntary payment by consumers
the business owners are behaving like capitalists should... the government voluntarily supports their business... the businesses don't force the government to do things for them
if the government is corrupt to the point where influence can be bought, then the government has too much influence and should be shrunk so that there is nothing to corrupt
capitalist businesses are no different to individuals... they act in their own interest (being that of their owners), which is no different to those that receive income from welfare, food stamps, etc or those that would pick up a greenback off the street and keep it for themselves
they don't do it because they are corrupt and greedy... they do it because they would be stupid not to take a bite when the government dangles a carrot in front of them