The Partial FAA Shutdown
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-08-03/partial-faa-shutdown
A partial shutdown of the FAA began on July 23. Congress failed to pass a short-term funding extension. This furloughed 4,000 FAA employees and tens of thousands of airport construction workers. Planes are still flying, but the federal government is losing more than $30 million dollars a day from uncollected passenger ticket taxes. Republicans in the House and Senate Democrats disagree about union-forming rules and rural airport subsidies. As lawmakers leave for summer vacation, the stalemate threatens to stretch past Labor Day. What’s behind the impasse, and the consequences for the nation’s air system and the traveling public.
Guests
Ray LaHood
U.S. Secretary of Transportation and former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives.
Ashley Halsey III
transportation reporter for the Washington Post
Ken Simonson
chief economist, Associated General Contractors of America
Veda Shook
International president, Association of Flight Attendants - CWA.
James Sherk
senior policy analyst in labor economics, the Heritage Foundation.
Comments
Please familiarize yourself with our Code of Conduct and Terms of Use before posting your comments.
Our continued support is now under FINAL reconsideration.
Our government is NOT a business. Let us begin there...
If businesses with special consideration from Congress
refuse to invest in America than it is your duty as the people's representative(my neighbors also ALL under/unemployed except those deployable) to support jobs created by government spending.
We'll even blow IT up for free when completed building infrastructure.
Without selfless action the economy for doctors, lawyers, and lobbyists WILL be effected as well by the rioting in the streets for food(homes empty and unsellable/ rentable).
I am disgusted by OPUS actions and proposed solutions(and the last OPUS). But in comparision to todays House he is saintly.
Grow up before you blowup the world economy(any more than what deregulation and lobbying has done already).
You may also fall on hard times some day. I know some in Congress have NEVER faced adversity or served in our country's defense. A poor education to wield life or death over others.
Let US use terms you can comprehend.
Our world economy like a Ponzii scheme... excuse US if you donut play you cannot win.
And about our comment which got US in trouble a decade ago... that our fearful knee jerk reaction to 911 would cost ever so much more in the end.
Ever so much more afraid of the terrorists funding our politicians. Or was IT the other way around? Too confisung for toast- most.
Apologies still unable to pay current/ back taxes. Our scheduled opening for semiSecret Project Soylent Green today.
Am told that you get USed by- er- to IT. Try to relax and enjoy the process.
We were asking for IT. CONGRESS. IT' ll hurt and they'll be blood BUT don't worry- they won't feel a thing.
What is the point of this speaking in tongues nonsense, just trying to show your clever?. It ain't working!
Ignoring the debt ceiling debacle, Congress should never have adjourned without taking care of the FAA situation.
How can either party talk about their desire to encourage job creation when they have just willingly furloughed thousands of FAA workers and added private workers with FAA contracts to the ranks of the unemployed. The unemployment rate is discussed about about 9-10%. The real figure is so much higher.
We should furlough Congress.
Monique wrote:
"Ignoring the debt ceiling debacle, Congress should never have adjourned without taking care of the FAA situation."
Gotta be with you on this one, Monique. They are an emabarrassment.
I can't understand why people expect things they cannot afford to be supplied by others. If an airport made sense and had the traffic to support it someone would supply it. If no profit is to be made it makes no sense to for the goverment to supply it. I guess the Stennis airport is a perfect example on non-essential. Non-esential means to me NOT REQUIRED.
I agree with Jim. Airport subsidies make no sense. It would be cheaper to pay for a shuttle bus to a larger regional airport than paying 2-3 thousand dollars per passenger.
The Democrats missed a real opportunity here. The Dem's in the House and Senate Dem's should have made a point of staying in D.C. and calling on the Repub's to do the same. That would have set the Dem's far apart from the Repub's and showed that they were intent on showing the Nation that they were serious about not doing business as usual. Time and time again the Dem's show that they have no back bone.
Millions of totally unnecessary cost increases will be added to the construction projects because of legitimate time delay claims by contractors. Great way to help reduce government spending! Not!
I have nothing but the highest regard for Sec. LaHood's work. He is truely a dedicated public servant working for the good of his country and he does not get enough recognition of and for everything he does. He has gone above and beyond politics and does what he does in the best interests for the United States.
It is amazing that Republicans who are always talking about freedom and liberty appear to be the enemy of such. Why do Republicans oppose and actively thwart the efforts of free men to associate
and form groups to improve their lot in the workplace? As usual republicans actively help businesses suppress and oppress working people
And the worse part is Congress went on vacation! There is absolutely nothing that bunch does that doesn't amaze and disgust me. We sent them to Washington to govern, not to posture and neglect their duty.
Diane, This is just another political ploy by the Republicans to "bust unions." Republicans view unions as the enemy to corporations and they also see them as very powerful, politically. If they get rid of the unions they will be able to run over all of the working class people with no protection or recourse. We are losing billions of tax dollars by shutting everything down and it is preventing thousands of people from working right now. The Republicans rolled in 2010 saying JOBS, JOBS, JOBS and we have yet to see them create any new jobs in fact they are eliminating jobs by hundreds of thousands. They want absolute power and they are holding the American people hostage.
This is what we get when people don't consider the affect of electing inflexible individuals to congress. In a financial crisis, we throw away a billion dollars to save a few million. What sense does that make?
If you have put people out of work, how do they expect the economy to get better?
It all is crazy.
74,000 people out of work thanks to the GOP?
The notion that airline subsidized service to rural areas is "Pork Barrel" is GOP code speak for this area doesn't have sufficient GOP voters to matter to us and/or this will hurt an important democrat we would like to see replaced by a republican.
Thanks GOP for helping put America back to work again!!!
Good job.
-ld
One of Diane's guests said you need "trained" workers to build an airport. Of course, but 5,000 untrained workers were trained in the late 30s under the leadership of Harry Hopkins (WPA administrator) to build La Guardia. We distrust the unemployed in ways reminiscent of the Republican opposition to Hopkins amazing work for eight years employing millions of Americans. Hopkins had an unshakable belief in the dignity of work. And he got it right abt nine times out of ten using $9 billion in taxpayer money.
How come Ms. Rehm only has those from conservative think tanks on her shows? We know she is a closet conservative, and likes to give the impression that she is 'moderate' by never asking the tough quetions (a la Larry King), but does she have to be so obvious?
WAMU needs to insist that she balances her guests. If she has flaming conservatives (as she does) then she need to have flaming progressives (she would call them radicals) as well.
I may ask my blog readers to stop funding WAMU.
I am a former DOT lawyer and I've been in this town since 1979. When the government closes, one of the first things that closes is popular attractions, like the monument.
I do not understand why the administration has not taken this approach to FAA shutdown. Either there is some legal issue that I am not getting or the administration is complicit in this shutdown, because it has chosen not to take actions that would attract public attention, like shutting down National airport airspace to save money.
Can one of your guests explain to me why, if there is so much testosterone flowing, this obvious move has not been made?
Thanks!
I am one of the FAA employees on furlough. I am 25-year senior FAA engineer. I have built and commissioned several large FAA facilities worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
I install equipment used by FAA air traffic controllers. I take equipment out of service during low or no activity and return it to service so safety is not compromised.
I always finish my work before leaving the facility. If I didn't, lives would be endangered.
It is beyond my comprehension how Congress can leave this on their desks and leave for a month-long PAID vacation.
I am not spending anymore funds than I have to to pay bills. I cannot co-sign loans for student loans or auto loans for my kids. I cannot contribute to charities, my local community or my church. There are many areas that will be affected...crazy!
The "cost savings" of reducing essential air service would be covered by one week of collecting taxes...16 million vs a 2+ billion budget? less than 1/100th of one percent? Does anyone understand math anymore?
This lack of action will have lasting detrimental effection on more than 4000 employees...and 70000 contractor employees...and the hundreds of thousands of businesses affected by these out of work employees.
Thanks for your discussion of this topic!
When members of Congress leave us hanging over critical debt, budget, and FAA issues, they hold Americans hostage just to gain political advantage.
So why don't we remove that advantage? If Americans insisted on a single term limit for Congressional seats, there would be and less "need" for partisan games. Limit Senators and Representatives to one six-year term and we also reduce their allegiances to big business interests that fund re-election campaigns.
Restructuring Congressional service is a bold move, but it just might return Congressional accountability to the American people. We can't afford to let this silliness continue.
STP
Miami, FL
The private industry in Canada works with regulators, I don't think I would want a system where the regulators are always being underfunded.
The word 'outrageous' has been used repeatedly to describe Congress adjourning without even providing temporary funding for the FAA, as has 'absurd'. They are certainly appropriate terms; however, it largely boils down to spite -- and the continued thug-like tactics of the "Tea" Party-energized GOP.
Raise your hands if you can recall the mantra chanted again and again and again when GOD HIMSELF - Ronald W. Reagan - was president (with an overwhelmingly Democratic Congress), to wit, "Let Reagan be Reagan." There was respect, comity and purposeful governance to serve the American People. That was then.
The Brown-shirted bullies of the "Right" want it their way - or no way (and yes, THAT is is the exact analog, unless, of course, you are totally ignorant of twentieth-century history, simply choose to ignore it or are just plain stupid).
In the face of the well-documented and widespread voter suppression now in full gear in virtually every state taken over by these boorish thugs, Americans are going to have to redouble their efforts to make certain they are eligible to vote in the upcoming election, inform themselves of the issues and the candidates -- and exercise that Constitutional right.
Needless to say - I won't be flying Delta anymore...
Why anyone who works for a living would vote republican is just mind-boggling.
I wonder about the involvement of the ever-present Koch brothers....are they behind this one too?
I am an FAA employee, I am not furloughed, but am being hindered from doing my job because of the missing furloughed employees. No one is talking about this extra hidden cost in addition to the obvious costs. There are so many of us that are at work, but in a holding pattern until the furloughed employees get back to work. What a waste!! I am outraged as a taxpayer and an employee. Get Congress off of recess and have them do the job they are being paid to do.
Public sector employee unions are the most corrupting influence on government we have and are a direct threat to every private sector tax payer in this country. It makes corporate influence look like child's play in comparison.
Time to call my 2 senators and Congresswoman - recess is over.
Sheryl0757 wrote:
"Diane, This is just another political ploy by the Republicans to "bust unions."
Sheryl, I mean no disrespect, but is there something wrong with you? I mean, the way you think. Do you think it's fair to just blame Republicans for this when Senator Reid said he had to go home to his bushes and his flowers?!
Read the post from Ed in Indianapolis. Democrats missed an opportunity, but so did Republicans. They are both at fault and are not looking after the country's business.
At least try to be fair.
princefuzzy wrote:
"I wonder about the involvement of the ever-present Koch brothers....are they behind this one too?"
Actually, I was thinking it was George Soros. princefuzzy, why just limit yourself to ONE bogey-man!
AJNorth wrote:
"In the face of the well-documented and widespread voter suppression now in full gear in virtually every state taken over by ... boorish thugs, Americans are going to have to redouble their efforts to make certain they are eligible to vote in the upcoming election, inform themselves of the issues and the candidates -- and exercise that Constitutional right."
I'm sure the boorish thugs you're referring to are the New Black Panthers showing up to intimidate conservative voters at the polls in 2010, right AJ? ("Or do you simply choose to ignore history or are you just plain stupid")
"The Brown-shirted bullies of the "Right" want it their way - or no way"
I'll ask you the same thing I asked Grady Lee Coward yesterday who called me a racist. I challenged him to show me one post, one sentence, of the dozens of posts I have made on these discussions that indicates one hint of racism on my part. He couldn't do it. He ran away like a little girl.
So I challenge you, Show us ONE SHRED of evidence for your accusation that the Tea Party consists of "brown-shirted bullies" or of voter suppression (hint: the opinions of HP, DK, or NYT do not count). Show us where they intimidated voters. Show us where there was ANY violence on their part (and not PLANTED at rallies by the left). Do you even know ANYTHING about the true brown shirts, AJ? If you did, you would NEVER make that parallel without the evidence to back it up. So .... here we wait for you to provide it.