Controllers must be cut in a week, LaHood says

CNN ^

[Sub-Driver]

As part of the upcoming forced cuts totaling $85 billion, the Federal Aviation Administration will be required to slash $600 million from its budget, amounting to 4% of its total expenditures. Appearing at the White House on Friday, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood warned those cuts would result in major delays at American airports.

[icwhatudo]

A 4% cut? THE HORROR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mouton]

“warned those cuts would result in major delays at American airports.”

My advice, ground AF1 the chariot of the flying agitator and all will be well.

[cripplecreek]

Well Ray, don’t just stand there with your junk in your hand. Use it if you dare.

[vbmoneyspender]

Here's the truth that exposes LaHood's Wink-Wink: The FAA's workforce compensation costs are about $600 million annually, yet that agency spends at least $500 million annually just on consultants.

LaHood knows this and he knows that legions of such consultants in every federal department and agency get consulting contracts after they retire from the civil service, they are politically connected with the party in power in the White House, or they contributed to a congressman who favored them with an earmark.

So when somebody says federal spending is out of control and should be reduced, professional politicians like LaHood invariably threaten to close down essential services like airports, rather than first rooting out the waste and fraud on "consultants."

But the lie of sequestration goes even beyond predictable prevarications like LaHood's. The sequestration cuts are from the government's "baseline" budget, which includes built-in spending increases every year.

So what the professional politicians bewail as a spending cut is actually nothing more than a reduction in the amount that spending will increase each year. The Washington Examiner's Byron York did a superb job earler this week explicating this fact on Greta Van Sustern's show and in a column that focused specifically on how the Pentagon plays the game.

[Norm Lenhart]

Those inconvenienced/upset should perhaps question the Dems as to why billions are being sent to muslim countries that kill Americans while they wait in line for a runway to open up.

Until then they should just STFU and take it like the sheep they are.

[Joe Boucher]

Last weekend obammy was in my vacinity and within 30 miles the airspace was closed.
Last weekend the mooch was in Aspen with her two brats and they closed the airspace there for 30 miles. Gots to know the good folks who anticipated flying their jets in for a three day ski vacation were more than a little peeved to have to make other arraingments.
What worthless crapp these vermin are

[FlingWingFlyer]

It appears as though the communists are going to needlessly cut workers and services in order to win their propaganda battle to raise taxes against hardworking Americans. I hope they all burn in #@!#!

[cripplecreek]

Wasn’t there a major airport locked down for something like 4 hours while Bill Clinton got a haircut?

[captnorb]

Closing my tower in Hickory, NC........Wow; all 4 to 9 flights a day will really suffer long delays while sitting in the number 1 position for takeoff (no other planes at same time). Looks like the 2 controllers in the tower will need counseling next. Close it!

[edcoil]

QE-4 has been generating 85 Billion a month for the past 6 month and we have NO idea where that money is going so we are basically at even it we cut 85 and continue to create 85 Billion. These government created crisis every two weeks is getting tiring.

[statered]

As far as I am concerned they can shut the entire govt down for 6 months. We will survive.

[ThunderSleeps]

Cuts to defense, cuts to air-traffic controllers... What I want to know is are we cutting the {expletive} entitlement programs? You know, all those things the feds have their fingers into even though they have no Constitutional authority to do so? How about doing just the things you're supposed to be doing? You have more than enough $ for that.

[PizzaDriver]

Aren’t many or most Controllers SALARIED rather than Hourly workers?

There is NO savings in cutting the hours of Salaried folks!

[norwaypinesavage]

A competent executive could deal with a 2.5% cut , without even breaking a sweat. (It's not 4% as LaHood is crying about.) I guess we know what that makes LaHood: incompetent!

[Sooth2222]

Well, of course they're going to cut the 4% where the hoi polloi feel it the most -- not from the White House Kobe beef budget and the Pentagon VIP Gulfstream V budget!

But nobody goes to the airport and expects not to be annoyed by the gov't today. The last time I flew it was to Hawaii, and that was just because I couldn't drive there.

[clintonh8r]

4%? Shorter coffee breaks for controllers, I guess....And, is this 4% an actual cut, or simply a reduction in a scheduled increase? How stupid do they think we are?

[TWhiteBear]

And this would be a 4% cut in their eagerly awaited and expected increase in their funding.
Dang, it is tough for a parasite to make it any more.
TWB

[Newbomb Turk]

4% ? We refer to that as "Budget Dust".

Thanks to Obama I am spending 100% more for fuel, electricity is 37% higher thanks to his war on coal.

My taxes at the Local, State and Federal level all went up well over 4%.

I don't qualify for food stamps, WIC, subsidized housing, welfare or an Obama phone.

Obama wants me to pay more for the Tri Care that the Army promised me in lieu of wages that matched the private sector.

And now emperor Obama has made the price of ammo soar with his gun grabbing ways.

F**K your 4% cut Mr President. When people stop flying because it becomes too much of a hassle then you can bail out the airlines. Maybe the Republicans in CONgress will grow some balls and not fund your idiot ideas.

[oldbrowser]

It appears as though the communists are going to needlessly cut workers and services in order to win their propaganda battle to raise taxes against hardworking Americans.

I see this as insubordination by public servants. They are being ordered to reduce expenses and they react in an obstructionist or hostile manner that indicates aggression. They should be made to step down if they can't do the job they were hired to perform.