Jon Carl of ABC World News asked Speaker of the House, John Boehner, about three projects that are total waste.
Republicans say they want to slice $1.7 billion out of the government’s budget for buildings. However, not mentioned in the Speaker’s press conference is the more than $5 billion spent every year on ethanol subsidies that neither help the environment nor save energy; $6.2 billion in tax credits for oil and gas companies flush in record profits; and $3.5 billion for an extra engine for the F-35 fighter jet that the Pentagon doesn’t want.
Mr. Carl could have also mentioned the C-17 cargo plane. The Air Force hasn’t asked for more money to buy C-17s since 2007. That year the Air Force wanted 12, and Congress bought it 22. In 2008, the Air Force wanted none, but Congress bought 15. In 2009, the request was also zero, and Congress bought eight. In 2010, the Air Force once again asked for no C-17s, and lawmakers bought 10. Since 2007, Congress has spent more than $10 billion buying C-17s.
Could the cuts have anything to do with eliminating those programs that are not in Republican districts?
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