Defense Update: Billions for C-17s clears Senate
WASHINGTON — The Senate passed a $106 billion supplemental defense bill moments ago that included good news for Boeing St. Louis workers: $2.2 billion for eight C-17 cargo planes.
The funding matches the initial allotment in the bill for the C-17 line, which the Obama Administration plans to cancel in the 2010 defense budget.
Sen. Christopher S. “Kit” Bond, R-Mo., along with Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., are largely responsible for keeping the funding intact in the bill that finances the Iraq and Afghanistan war for the remainder of the fiscal year.
There was some Republican opposition to the bill today primarily because it includes $1 billion for the “Cash for Clunkers” program, which allows Americans to claim thousands of dollars in rebates when they upgrade to cars with higher fuel efficiency. Republican Senators argued the measure had no place in a defense bill.
It didn’t seem to matter much though, the bill passed 91-5 and will likely be signed by Obama soon.
Ok let’s think about the cons on this one. The dollar is collapsing, the economy is in terrible shape and we are spending another $106 billion on some cargo planes? Does this really make sense? I use to work at Boeing, and we are basically giving a company with no competition 106 billion bucks. Companies that have no competitors are very inefficient and wasteful and live off fattening government contracts. This just sounds like a huge waste of money.
It was 2.2 billion for the 8 planes… The 106 billion is an entire defense bill, the planes were only a small portion of it.
As long as the Army builds big tanks and other gear, the Air Force will need big aircraft to rapidly deploy them. This is also a better way to infuse capital into the economy than just doling out rescue money. But my question is, how much of the funding will go to Long Beach, Ca and how much to St Louis, Mo?
$2.2 Billion for planes we don’t need and only Boeing seems to want… great… I can think of about 100 things our government could provide us with that kind of cash that would provide more jobs and be a greater benefit to the nation and our communities… ohh well, lets build war planes and wage war instead.
you know what they say, $2.2 billion here you dont need, $2.2 billion there you dont need, pretty soon you’re talking real money.