Pork At Its' Best...

Did you guys see the ABC news last night and the story about the airport John Murtha got government funding for in Johnstown, PA ? Here's an excerpt:

"The John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport has an impressive $18 million runway made of reinforced concrete that's big enough to land any airplane in North America. The airport also has a $7 million air traffic control tower, a $14 million hanger and $8 million radar. Most of the time, the only thing the airport doesn't have is airplanes."

Only three flights (no, you read it right..no numerals are missing from that number) a day go out of there and guess where they all go....Washington. Hmmm, wonder who that benefits ? Twenty passengers on average use this high tech, beautiful facility each DAY. Isn't that ludicrous ? Our tax money at work...And the great thing is there are more stimulus funds set aside ($800,000 dollars to be exact) to pave an alternate runway. What a joke...they barely use the main one and they want to spend more money to pave an alternate one. In addition to all of this, the cost of every ticket out of there is subsidized by the govt with even MORE tax payer dollars. $100 per airline ticket.....

I always thought of John Murtha as a pompous blow hard....this absurd use of U.S. tax dollars for a Pennsylvania project makes me embarrassed to admit that I'm a "Pennsylvanian" by birth. Another fine example of poor representation in Washington by a sitting house member who isn't in touch with our country's financial concerns but is only looking to get his face on the bronze plaque near the door. He needs to be shown to the door.

Tea, Anyone ?

Remember this picture of the capitol steps that we posted the other day ? Well, today these steps were the site of Baton Rouge's tea party. Similar protests took place all over the country. Some say that the whole movement was started by the Republican party...sour grapes over having lost the election. Thousands of people gathered to protest the excessive spending that govt. has authorized recently for bailouts, etc. Others say that this wasn't a protest that centered around political affiliation at all but a concern that the debt that we are incurring is one that our grandchildren will have to deal with. There is a concern that even though we have "taxation WITH representation" that our needs fall on deaf ears. Pork barrel spending continues....and people are just fed up. This was a grassroots movement that I don't think we've seen or heard the last of. No matter what side of the debate you fall on, I think the important thing is that people are getting fired up and participating in THEIR government. Thinking about what is going on...how it will impact them or future generations...and getting passionate enough to GET INVOLVED. Isn't that what government should be ? Active participation by all to bring about change on a global scale. Let's keep it going !