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The F-22 is stealthier, is a better fighter and has longer range than the F-35. The F-22 is operation, the F-35 is not. The F-22 is pretty much the same price as the F-35A. The Russians are developing a fifth generation fighter and the Russians and Chinese have very good 4.5 generation fighters.

72 additional F-22s, upgraded to latest standards would be very useful.

I'm not going to disagree with your technical details, I am sure they are correct. And I am also concerned about the budget cuts and how to keep our technical edge in space, military and other high tech areas. But there are some overriding concerns.

The national debt is killing us more effectivly than any foriegn military can right now. It is our number one national security issue. The focus needs to be on cutting the debt.

The congressman feels he can "pay for" the extra F-22s with cuts to other programs, but there are two problems with that. The first is that if he actually attempts this, then the movement to cut earmarks and pork is dead already, because if he gets his pet project brought back from the dead, then all cooperation is off the table for other cuts to anyone else's pet project. Second, if he can pay for this project with budget cuts in other areas, then we can also not spend the money at all and reduce the deficit even more.