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As flight delays increase, so does the finger-pointing in Washington
Reuters ^ | April 23, 2013 | John Whitesides

Posted on 04/24/2013 5:00:36 AM PDT by Tugo

Federal officials reported flight delays at U.S. airports for a third consecutive day on Tuesday, fueling a political blame game as Republicans and Democrats accused each other of causing the furloughs of thousands of air-traffic controllers.

On Capitol Hill and at the White House, the rhetoric over across-the-board federal budget cuts known as "sequestration" became increasingly biting. Both sides tried to take political advantage - and avoid responsibility - for cuts by the Federal Aviation Administration that officials say could plague the country's aviation system during the summer travel season.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: airlines; atc; government; privatize
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To: Hoodat

The FAA is awasah in money; there’s no need for this BS. It’s 0scumbag’s marxist/muslim/racist idea to “make it hurt”. That’s all.


21 posted on 04/24/2013 5:38:52 AM PDT by Carriage Hill (No one can go back and make a new start, but anyone can start from now, and make a new ending.)
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To: central_va

Please ping me as a courtesy in the future if you are going to talk about me. Thank you.


22 posted on 04/24/2013 5:42:55 AM PDT by SkyPilot
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To: central_va

Ah, my bad - you did. Sorry.


23 posted on 04/24/2013 5:44:04 AM PDT by SkyPilot
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To: Tugo

It is amazing that Obama can do things (such as proposing the sequestration), get it on the books, then rail against it and successfuly blame the Republicans for it.

The GOP still has a major problem: the inability to communicate with the outside world (a.k.a., fly-over country).


24 posted on 04/24/2013 5:52:26 AM PDT by TomGuy
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To: Venturer

Yes, and even his own crony LaHood called it crazy so I guess he thinks his boss’ idea was a crazy one.


25 posted on 04/24/2013 6:02:15 AM PDT by b4its2late (A Liberal is a person who will give away everything he doesn't own.)
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To: Venturer

Wonder how many of those that are having to deal with the delays voted for The ONE. They got what they paid for. Deal with it.


26 posted on 04/24/2013 6:12:13 AM PDT by NCC-1701 (The LEFT's intolerance of the RIGHT is intolerable.)
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To: central_va; TruthShallSetYouFree
My eight year-old grandson could look at the federal budget for ten minutes and find ways to cut a billion dollars that would hurt the public far less than the furloughing of air traffic controllers. Anyone who can’t figure out what Obama is trying to do is dumb enough to vote for him.

The Sequestration cuts are across the board to every discretionary program, and do allow for the sane approach that you are talking about. That is why you hear talk in the news with buzzwords like "re-programming" and "flexibility" for certain agencies.

There are laws to be followed, and the law is an a$$. Congress wrote the law.

As far as the FAA goes, they are running into the same problem the DoD has - there are certain "colors" of money that can be cut, and others that cannot be touched within fiscal year budgets. I know this sounds like a bureaucratic answer, but it is not. This is budget reality.

FAA Flight Delays Become Fodder For Sequester Politics

Sam Stein has this entirely correct when he wrote:

"The reasoning behind the FAA's decision to apply a one-day-every-two-weeks furlough to all 47,000 employees -- including 15,000 flight controllers -- is also not as simple or political as Republicans argue. The FAA has to cut $637 million from its budget before the end of September, with every account sliced by the same percent. The FAA's operations account, from which 71 percent of all payments goes to salary, can't avoid the chopping block......But the fat isn't all that easy to skim, as LaHood noted in a statement. According to the Transportation secretary, the FAA had already shifted funds within accounts to avoid furloughs while still protecting air travel safety. The agency had cut contracts, stopped funding for low traffic towers and reduced the amount of traveling among its officials. Even then, LaHood added, "the FAA still needs to furlough its 47,000 employees to achieve these congressionally required cuts. Only Congress can stop these delays from continuing.”

I'll let you in on a political secret: the GOP members who are publicly throwing a hissy fit about the real effects of Sequestration were the same one wringing their hands in private about how bad they would be, because they knew it and they told heads of agencies (including the DoD) that it would be a train wreck.

Both parties have failed, time and time again, to properly address the two toxic issues in national politics that are breaking the back of this nation: entitlements and taxes.

They still cannot properly address them. Defense, the FAA, research, cancer patients requiring certain drugs, meals on wheels for seniors - all of that got thrown in front of the bus and the hostage was shot twice in the knees by our hostage negotiating teams.

27 posted on 04/24/2013 6:20:07 AM PDT by SkyPilot
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To: SkyPilot

Good info. Thanks.


28 posted on 04/24/2013 6:23:47 AM PDT by TruthShallSetYouFree (July 4, 1776: Declaration of Independence. Nov 6, 2012: Declaration of Dependence. R.I.P. America.)
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To: Venturer

The plan with media help is to portray obama as doing everything he can to move us “forward”. The media template will be “divided government is incapable of solving the nation’s problems but in the 1930’s during the height of the depression Americans gave President Roosevelt both houses of congress. The result was America was saved from both an economic crises and a devastating World War. Some say voters may reflect back on that history and believe the need to give the President a working majority in both houses of congress to move both a stalled economy at home and secure an uncertain future overseas.”
We will see a lot of the obama’s the victim but we need to stand up for barack stories from the media and quotes from nancy and debbie washerwoman sgt.schultz.


29 posted on 04/24/2013 6:54:03 AM PDT by bonehead4freedom
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To: bonehead4freedom

Give Obama a majority in both house and you have signed the death warrant for this country.


30 posted on 04/24/2013 6:56:06 AM PDT by Venturer
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To: Hoodat
"GOP politician"

It is very interesting to observe the GOP constantly pulling their punches on every issue. Why do they do this?

31 posted on 04/24/2013 7:16:41 AM PDT by I am Richard Brandon
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To: Tugo

When are things going to be so messed up that the House of Representatives has enough votes for passage of Impeachment of Dear Leader?


32 posted on 04/24/2013 7:36:32 AM PDT by mohresearcher
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To: bonehead4freedom
FDR was so wildly popular that a Constitutional amendment was passed to prevent THAT from ever happening again.
33 posted on 04/24/2013 7:48:59 AM PDT by Madame Dufarge
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To: Venturer

Yup, but watch the media/dnc talking points for the next 18 months designed to influence the mid term elections . You saturate a story often enough it becomes truth. Example George Bush’s unemployment rate of under 5% worse economy in 60 years media/dnc template.
Bogus News Wire November 1, 2008
Some Economist say unemployment numbers are due to rise due to fears of uncertain economic trends and some say it could have devastating consequences due to lack of concern from the current Bush administration. Some economic analysis say that the election next Tuesday will have major ramifications on the direction of the nation’s economy and for future job growth. “Voters face crucial decision on the future direction of this economy this election cycle”,stated Professor Marx Krugman an economist with the nonpartisan Institute of Economic Justice.


34 posted on 04/24/2013 8:59:48 AM PDT by bonehead4freedom
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