GOP control of House could revive the F-22 fight

AJC/Political Insider ^ | 11/13/2010 | Jim Galloway

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

The takeover of the U.S. House by Republicans could prompt a revival of the fight for additional funding for the Marietta-built F-22 stealth fighter, U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey said Friday.

U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey, a Republican from Marietta. AJC file “This isn’t just for the sake of home-cooking, but also for the sake of the country,” Gingrey said in a telephone interview.

But Gingrey conceded that concerns over spending and the federal deficit could make the funding battle a difficult one. The planes have a price tag of $120 million each. “We would have to look at it with a very, very sharp pencil,” he said. “It would take some negotiating.”

Suggestions from the debt commission, made public this week, may hold some possibilities A three-year freeze on federal pay and a 10 percent reduction of the federal workforce “are things that really get me excited,” the Marietta congressman said.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

It is up to you and me to see that the government stays prepared.
Nobody knows what we need until the war breaks out.
Right now we don’t have enough of anything for any war.

And I wouldn’t mind having my own F-22 :-)

[RC one]

We’re broke. We have to make choices. I would choose to leave Asia and use the savings to focus on the middle east and the F22. South Korea can defend itself. If they’re worried about defending themselves, we have lots of weapons they can buy to help. We’re wasting money and resources in Korea. I would further suggest that neither is it in our economic interest “to deter North Korea and China”. The more agressive they become, the more weapons we sell.

[ari-freedom]

1) we’re not that broke
2) North Korea already has nukes but we should focus on a bunch of cave dwellers in Toyota pickups?
3) We don’t need the F22 to fight the taliban. The F22 is to deal with countries with a developed air force....such as North Korea and China.

[Trod Upon]

First off: You need to add in a *lot* of other benefits beyond basic pay rates to get an accurate picture of real compensation. Second: It’s a voluntary force. Nobody out there now lacked the opportunity to consider the risks and do their own cost benefit analysis. Where can you get a better deal right out of high school? And third: Nobody’s dying for me in the Middle East—I’d call them all back tomorrow rather than waste any more blood and treasure on that cesspool. When we pull out, as we eventually will have to, they’re going to run right back into despotism.