Air Travel and More Stupidity from the Democrats

“Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases:  If it moves, tax it.  If it keeps moving, regulate it.  And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
- Ronald Reagan

There's always a seat on Obama Air!

Reagan was on to something.  Seems as though a program that the G.W. Bush administration had tried to kill was re-animated by the Democrats: subsidized airfare:

A much-criticized subsidy for rural air travel would get a budget increase of more than 40 percent under a spending bill unveiled in the House on Monday.

The legislation approved by a House Appropriations subcommittee would give $173 million in the upcoming budget year to the Essential Air Service, which provides subsidies to small airlines to fly unprofitable routes. That’s a $53 million increase.

This is ironic for a variety of reasons.  Firstly, the Democrats and Obama claim to be pro-Earth which, to them, means taxing CO2 produced by businesses.  Last time I checked, jets produced a lot of CO2.  You’d think if CO2 was such a problem in the eyes of the Democrats they would not be giving companies money to produce more of it.  It’s not like the program itself is that great, even President Obama admits as much:

Indeed, the subsidies also have a new benefactor in President Barack Obama, who requested the big increase in his February budget submission despite acknowledging that the program is inefficient.

Even with the subsidies, the program is hardly a boon for many small carriers such as Great Lakes Airlines, which offers service to 20 states to communities such as Vernal, Utah, and Scottsbluff, Neb. Passenger loads are often small, meaning that the taxpayer subsidy can often far exceed the airfare.

Of course the program is inefficient!  That’s why the government is picking up the tab (well, actually the taxpayer is but who’s counting?).  How inefficient is it?

In many cases the flights are nearly empty. In other instances, such as flights between Buffalo Niagara International Airport and Jamestown, N.Y., just 76 miles away, it’s quicker to drive than fly.

“There are certainly cases where it’s easier to drive, take a train, take a bus than it is to fly back and forth,” said Tom Schatz, president of the Citizens Against Government Waste.

The administration acknowledges the program’s flaws.

Why are the Democrats pushing this program?  Same old reason for either party… votes.

I find it a joke that, on the one hand, CO2 is the “enemy” of the world but, on the other hand, the U.S. government will make sure more of the stuff is produced through useless travel and inefficient routes (and funded with taxpayer dollars).

Let’s also not forget that the most dangerous planes (deaths per 100,000 passengers) are the puddle jumper airlines that this money will go to support.

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