Boxer Bringing Home The Bacon?
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
To anyone following the news, it is unsurprising to find out that "Call me Senator!" Boxer is in a tight re-election campaign this year. So, it's hardly surprising to find her apparently implying that she will put the purchase of more Boeing C-17s (produced in her area) into the defense appropriations bill.
Even when the Secretary of Defense has already said, multiple times, that they don't want anymore. In point of fact, the SecDef has even indicated that the White House will and should veto any legislation with that included.
Bringing home the bacon has always been job one for far too many Congressmen. Some in DC consider this just more of the typical budget "game" where DoD doesn't ask for something needed as they know members of Congress will add it without being asked and they can claim pro-forma innocence. This latest attempt, however, smacks of a certain amount of desperation on Senator Ma'am's part, however.
The problem with bringing home the bacon (or playing "typical" budget games), especially during a tight election like this, is that it can do real harm. It can block much needed competition (and there is competition both domestic and foreign in this class). It can and does pull funds away from other areas of airlift, some of which the military may consider more needed and a higher priority.
I'm working on a longer piece, and trying to even get a comment from Gates on this, but this serves as a start. It also sets forth my question: is the sizzling sound being heard the bacon cooking, or the re-election chances of Senator Boxer.
LW
Even when the Secretary of Defense has already said, multiple times, that they don't want anymore. In point of fact, the SecDef has even indicated that the White House will and should veto any legislation with that included.
Bringing home the bacon has always been job one for far too many Congressmen. Some in DC consider this just more of the typical budget "game" where DoD doesn't ask for something needed as they know members of Congress will add it without being asked and they can claim pro-forma innocence. This latest attempt, however, smacks of a certain amount of desperation on Senator Ma'am's part, however.
The problem with bringing home the bacon (or playing "typical" budget games), especially during a tight election like this, is that it can do real harm. It can block much needed competition (and there is competition both domestic and foreign in this class). It can and does pull funds away from other areas of airlift, some of which the military may consider more needed and a higher priority.
I'm working on a longer piece, and trying to even get a comment from Gates on this, but this serves as a start. It also sets forth my question: is the sizzling sound being heard the bacon cooking, or the re-election chances of Senator Boxer.
LW