OT: $6.1B, Marine One Options

[siverson]

I don't know anything about helicopters, but doesn't $265M each sound like a lot?!?!

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/02/02/marine....e.ap/index.html

-Steve

[dmenche914]

So the prez's own party should pay for the choppers? Did the democrates pay for Clintons or Carters fleet? I think not.

The choppers they have been using have been determined to be too old. I do not know all the facts, but suspect that security concerns with shoulder launched missles might be one factor, maybe the new chopper is safer, faster???

As far as putting a prez on a commercial flight, i believe it was done when i was a kid, I recall that Nixon once used a commercial flight, it was in the news, the reporters interviewed the peopele that flew with him, it was a big deal. The Secret Service however did NOT like the risk, so I think that they pretty much nix'd that idea (no pun intended)

Since we are talking political parties paying for expenses, was it not Clinton who held up Air Force One for a hair cut or something, that caused a big delay for all the other flights at a busy airport.

Whether Democrat or Republican, the President gets flown, and driven around at tax payer expense, and in the safest manner possible. It costs a bunch of money, but in the big budget it is only a drop.

As far as money to feed the starving children in this nation, I have yet in America seen a starving American child. Why can't the family feed its own kids?
Hell there are people on food stamps with newer cars, big screen TV's, cable subscriptions, and they have a four pack a day smoking habit. Guess they need food stamps to buy the kids food, except for lunch, and breakfast, which are now served at taxpayer expense in some schools, mainly in poorer areas.
Starvation in America, no it is not a problem. Besides, any government program to feed folks is so top heavy with buracracy, that much of the money never will put food in truely starving childrens bellies, that is if they could find them.

Go to the Sudan, or Ethiopia, and see real starvation (caused in the most part by there own governments attempt to kill or control the citizens)

Democrats ought to want a good safe aircraft for Bush, cause those aircraft will be there for likely the next half dozen presidential terms, and could well be flying a Democrat prez sometime. (god forbid!)

I also recall Clinton seemed to show up in person at just about every disaster, fire, hurricane, etc in order to show that he feels our pain. so much for conserving flight time for critical government bussiness, but hey, thats part of politics.

So it is a european airframe, i hope the engines are US built?????

We all are tax payers, and every one has a differnet idea of how the money should be spent, I really rather not have my tax money go to social insecurity, medicare, the senor drug program, large stadiums built at our local schools (which then complain they cannot pay teachers) I see no reason to subsidize Amtrack, or pay farmers not to produce crop. I want my money spent on defense, bombs, missles, tanks, ships, aircraft, so that no one dare attack us, and if they do, they will all be dead. I want the freeways widened to handle the traffic, that would be a good use of money, save many folk many hours of wasted time

So we reach a democratic medium, some believe in giving money to the poor with taxes, others do not

Our government does have a good defense, best in the world, and must stay that way, we also have lots of programs that I disagree with, but others do agree with. I like defense, others like farm subsidies, so we get both, and everyone is happy (or everyone is pissed off, depends on how you look at it)