Your Stimulus Dollars at Work: Stimulatin' Seldom-Used Airports Named for Influential Congressmen!

Nick Gillespie | May 6, 2009

From Investors Business Daily:

Two hours east of Pittsburgh, [the John Murtha—Johnstown Cambria County Airport]  averages just 20 passengers a day. But its namesake, Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., a powerful and controversial member of the House Appropriations Committee, has steered some $150 million to the airport over the years. That includes $30 million for never-used capability to handle huge military aircraft and store gear for rapid deployment.

The airport also received $800,000 in stimulus funds.

It's far from the only one. An IBD analysis found that $154 million in stimulus funds is going to low-traffic rural airports that already get subsidies and tax breaks—and whose net economic benefit is a matter of considerable debate.

Bonus quote from Bob Poole, one of the nation's top transportation analysts and the founder of Reason Foundation, the nonprofit that publishes this site: "This is more of what Congress loves to do: Take money that for the most part is paid for by air travelers at busy airports and ship it off to tiny areas with hardly any airline service."

Whole story here.

Bob Poole on his hopes and fears for the Obama admin's transportation policy:

Comments

Umm|5.6.09 @ 9:38PM|#

Are those frames back in style, or is that guy really nerdy?

BakedPenguin|5.6.09 @ 9:49PM|#

Murthafucker.

SIV|5.6.09 @ 9:53PM|#

Heh...I'm working on a stimulus funded rural airport project right now.Some days there are no takeoffs or landings at all.On really nice days there are a few flight lessons and 3 or 4 other private aircraft using it.There is no commercial service whatsoever.It isn't named for any politician.....yet.

Telly|5.6.09 @ 11:09PM|#

That Murtha is one ugly fat-headed man.

|5.6.09 @ 11:11PM|#

I want a law that says no airport, highway, building or any such structure built with federal money can be named after any politician who currently holds office. Dead or retired only.

BakedPenguin|5.6.09 @ 11:21PM|#

Papaya, what is this 'retired politician' creature you speak of? One who can no longer get elected?

|5.6.09 @ 11:44PM|#

Maybe we shouldn't let Congress spend any damn money at all. Oh wait...

|5.7.09 @ 12:50AM|#

I'm sure that if someone posts a comment on the stimulus transparency web site that the administration set up about this, that something will be done about it.

Hehehe ::cough:: no, seriously.

24AheadDotCom|5.7.09 @ 12:59AM|#

Speaking about the stimulus, Reason's best buds at FreedomWorks were the geniouses behind this video. If they were smarter, they could have had a good impact on what was in the stimulus; they might have even played a role in blocking it. They might have even kept Spector in the fold.

Instead, what FreedomWorks did had no impact whatsoever. At least FreedomWorks did something even if it was extremely idiotic; Reason can't even clear that extremely low bar.

Naga Sadow|5.7.09 @ 1:45AM|#

No impact? Sorta like your stupid "pose questions to politicians and then upload their responses to youtube!" quest?

Naga Sadow|5.7.09 @ 1:46AM|#

Almost forgot . . .

CHRIS KELLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*shakes fist at LoneWAcko or whatever stupid ass name he's trolling under*

|5.7.09 @ 1:47AM|#

You tell 'em LoneWacko!

BTW, what did you think of "your" novel?

Naga Sadow|5.7.09 @ 1:51AM|#

Art POG,

What novel? Link please. Some of us aren't internet gods who can keep up with everything internet related. Simply god-like.

affenkopf|5.7.09 @ 1:53AM|#

Bob Poole? You mean corporatist Bop Poole?

I'm sure he would be fine if tax dollars were wasted un public-private airports.

|5.7.09 @ 1:55AM|#

Really? I thought you were in that thread, Naga. It was hilarious...unfortunately, I'm always late or early due to my location. Trying to remember the thread...

Naga Sadow|5.7.09 @ 2:00AM|#

I'm part of many things, Art POG. That doesn't mean I can keep up with everything.

*uses smoke bomb to disappear*

|5.7.09 @ 2:08AM|#

Hopefully I don't Sugarfree this. Comedy gold.

|5.7.09 @ 2:17AM|#

You've got to scroll down a few posts, but it's totally worth it.

|5.7.09 @ 3:06AM|#

best buds at FreedomWorks were the geniouses

Is this RC'z Law or joe's Law?

Anonymous|5.7.09 @ 5:42AM|#

Comedy gold.

It's like an alternate timeline where the 80s never ended.

I'm going to go there in my dreams, Casio keyboard demo playing endlessly, watching a Laserdisc reflecting solar rays unmolested by ozone.

|5.7.09 @ 6:58AM|#

I'm going to go there in my dreams, Casio keyboard demo playing endlessly, watching a Laserdisc reflecting solar rays unmolested by ozone.

That's right. While wearing acid-washed jeans and a Hawaii shirt.

Xeones|5.7.09 @ 8:39AM|#

Tell us what you think about your story, LoneWacko. Then shut the fuck up.

Yo, eat a bag of dicks, John Murtha.

|5.7.09 @ 8:43AM|#

Tell us what you think about your story, LoneWacko. Then shut the fuck up.

Personally, I'd be fine with just the last part, but to each his own.

Xeones|5.7.09 @ 8:54AM|#

Nay, o Unsweetened One. While the extent to which he is scorned will likely never penetrate LoneWacko's thick, pointed skull, i feel it is necessary that we Hit'n'Runners, as generally decent human beings (Episiarch aside), communicate at every opportunity how much esteem we do not grant him.

|5.7.09 @ 9:06AM|#

While it is satisfying to scrape dogshit off your shoes, I'd rather not step in it in the first place...

I am torn by your comments, Xeones. But I judge not and let all men exercise their conscience.

|5.7.09 @ 9:07AM|#

LMNOP et al,

That story was the best collaboration by a cleavage of commenters I think I've ever seen. I salute you one and all.

|5.7.09 @ 9:08AM|#

I meant Epi. Sorry.

Anonymous|5.7.09 @ 9:25AM|#

That story was the best collaboration by a cleavage of commenters I think I've ever seen.

I agree. And be honest: what goes better with, or makes more content, H'n'R commenters than cleavage?

Alan Vanneman|5.7.09 @ 9:26AM|#

I'm sorry, Nick, but if you looked like John Murtha, you'd want some stimulation too.

Warty|5.7.09 @ 9:26AM|#

geniouses

Spell the fuck up, Lonewacko.

Xeones|5.7.09 @ 9:27AM|#

That is fair, Saccharine Minus. That is fair.

Warty|5.7.09 @ 9:32AM|#

SugarFree, what's your learned opinion on xylitol? I know you have one.

|5.7.09 @ 9:36AM|#

I agree with FrBunny and Anonymous. That was Hall of Fame Material.

|5.7.09 @ 9:40AM|#

Is this RC'z Law or joe's Law?

joe'z Memorial Law. Its a typo appearing in a post mocking someone else's intelligence.

For RC'z Law to apply, the typo has to be unintentionally humorous or insightful. Just hang on. We'll get one here shortly, I have no doubt.

|5.7.09 @ 9:43AM|#

Warty,

It's OK. At least it doesn't give you the runs like sorbital. But even though it is absorbed slower than sugar, xylitol has about 40% the calories of sugar and is not calorie neutral like aspartame or sucralose. In the battle of the tabletop packets, I go for the yellow.

Stevia tastes OK, but it doesn't dissolve in cold liquids very well so you end up with iced tea like miso soup, you have to constantly stir it to keep in mixed up. Yucky.

|5.7.09 @ 9:45AM|#

Just bought Mountain Dew Throwback yesterday.

Meh.

|5.7.09 @ 10:08AM|#

It is kind of frieghtening to think what pathetic empty lives people like Murtha and Spector must live. Both these guys are in the 70s (Spector I think is 80) and are millionaires with huge pensions on top of that. You would think they would want to go live on a beach somewhere and play with thier grand children. Any normal person would. Nope, these guys have been stealing so long that it has become what they are. They just can't help themselves. Murtha is going to keep stealing until he finally ends up in prison and Spector is going to continue to do one craven thing after another trying to stay in office until it finally kills him or until the Park police have to come and forcibly remove him from his Senate offices after losing an election. Pathetic.

|5.7.09 @ 10:34AM|#

Well, at least the $800,000 got routed somewhere near residents of Pennsylvania, instead of going straight into the pocket of Mr. Murtha's Murtech nephew (who I bet won't have any comment on what he gave Mr. Murtha for a birthday present).

|5.7.09 @ 10:55AM|#

That includes $30 million for never-used capability to handle huge military aircraft and store gear for rapid deployment.

To support the special forces who will be behind the lines after Connecticut invades. C'mon, people, wake up!

BH|5.7.09 @ 10:56AM|#

This should be front and center of any discussion about the "Stimulus," the Tea Parties, & the trend towards govt. control over economic decisions.

When Susan Roesgen from CNN attacked that tea party guy in Chicago "WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WTH TAXES?" I wish he'd mentioned this kind of pork, by citing this example. "It's more about the squandering of my money, rather than the rate of taxation."

Warty|5.7.09 @ 11:03AM|#

John, in related news, I see Brett Favre is going to play in Minnesota this year.

|5.7.09 @ 11:04AM|#

He's a bad Murtha--

Art-P.O.G.|5.7.09 @ 11:32AM|#

shut yo mouth!

Anonymous|5.7.09 @ 11:38AM|#

I'm just talkin' 'bout Taft!

("End free trade."? Really?)

|5.7.09 @ 11:44AM|#

He's a complicated man.

|5.7.09 @ 12:47PM|#

If you are a pilot of a small plane, having available runways in case of an emergency can save your life, and the lives of your passengers. Small airports are also vital to their local communities: air ambulance, quick access to other cities and towns for small businesses, training for new pilots, etc. A healthy general aviation community helps encourage a new generation of pilots, engineers and other technical people, serves local businesses and keeps America free. Europeans come to American to learn to fly because their freedoms are so limited and restricted.
General aviation is under attack, sales are down about 41%, and thousands of people are facing lay-offs and loss of work because the MSM thinks that only rich people own airplanes.
That is not true: most airplanes are owned by ordinary people who happen to like to fly instead of, say, own and operate a boat. Many people build their own airplanes.
While I loathe the "stimulus" package with a deep and abiding hate, and think that the Administration and Congress are acting like a bunch of feckless Commie fools, keeping the nation's small, general aviation airports in good repair is good for all of us. GA is an arrow in the quiver of national defense.

24AheadDotCom|5.7.09 @ 12:50PM|#

BH opines: I wish he'd mentioned this kind of pork, by citing this example. "It's more about the squandering of my money, rather than the rate of taxation."

The problem is that, because the leaders of the "parties" - such as Glenn Reynolds are probably mystified by lightswitches, it really is all about taxes. Go take a look at the beyond-stupid graphic at the start of this video:

pjtv.com/video/American_Tea_Party/Knoxville_Property_Protest/1826

The low-wattage leaders of the tea parties have selected an issue to rally around that only gets a small % of Americans really agitated and that is completely, absolutely selfish. When millions of Americans are out of work, they don't want to see "kulaks" [1] whining on their TVs about taxes and waving JohnGalt signs.

The leaders of the "parties" are so incredibly dumb that they think they can do a feint about a ConstitutionalConvention; that feint requires many more states to get involved than they could ever muster. They'd be extremely lucky to get a dozen states behind that plan, but despite that low-wattage leaders like TammyBruce and Insty think it's a valid plan. It would be best for everyone if they just went Galt and left the rest of us to actually solve problems.

Click the links in this post for more information.

[1] legalinsurrection.blogspot.com/2009/02/revolt-of-kulaks-has-begun.html

Art-P.O.G.|5.7.09 @ 12:57PM|#

*sigh*. Lonewacko, read the damn story and either post your response or videotape your review and upload it to Youtube.

Art-P.O.G.|5.7.09 @ 12:59PM|#

You know you want to.

|5.7.09 @ 1:09PM|#

Shorter Aleta Jackson:

Reckless "Commie" spending is bad, except on things of interest to me.

|5.7.09 @ 2:11PM|#

Not one single one of Aleta's points, even if granted in their entirety, justifies the spending on the Murtha airport.

|5.7.09 @ 3:57PM|#

If you'd like me to, I can compile Chapter 1 into a single document and distribute it.

This could make a fabulous summer project for us!

Loving it!

|5.7.09 @ 4:01PM|#

We could record a reading of the novel, set it to some creative animation, and put it up on YouTube.

|5.7.09 @ 5:11PM|#

Episiarch is one of the leaders in this novel-writing endeavor, right? If so, I believe that 70s porn music should be used. In fact, the novel should be filmed as a 70s porn flick.

|5.7.09 @ 9:41PM|#

*giggles*

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