Cantor: It's Fine for Airlines to Pocket Aviation Taxes During FAA Shutdown

Subterfuge on steroids (0.00 / 0)

Republican pontificating:"there is nothing in the bill about labor, this is another Democrat lie;" "all the Democrats have to do is agree to the bill if they really want to restore the FAA; Democrats are causing this problem;" "the rural airports being closed down are being closed down for economic and business reasons, it has nothing to do with where they are located, so this is yet another example of Democratic politicking and whining."

So far I have heard only one commentator explain the union angle, but he did a good job: "and why do workers usually want to organize a union? Because their boss is acting like a jerk, which is exactly what Congress is doing now with the FAA; no wonder the workers want a union." He went on to tell us how much the fiasco was costing taxpayers and the government in lost income, plus the lost wages---- but apparently no expense is too much for Republicans if you can kill a union.

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by: Teddy Goodson @ Thu Aug 04, 2011 at 17:42:20 PM UTC

Typical for Cantor (0.00 / 0)

He only worships the dollar not the good of the country. I posted about this FAA story in my diary several days ago and latest estimates place lost tax revenues at $1.2 billion dollars even if the legislation is passed immediately when congress returns from vacation. I am guessing the GOP suspends their deficit/debt/balanced budget ranting rhetoric when it is a question of their anti-union ideology being threatened. I must admit that I have a vested interest in this debacle since I am slated for a transcontinental flight in less than a week and the FAA being handcuffed has not been a calming thought. As someone else has said, a local equivalent would be if retailers raised their prices whenever VA had a sales tax holiday to capture that revenue for themselves.

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by: glennbear @ Thu Aug 04, 2011 at 18:18:58 PM UTC

Ssshh! (0.00 / 0)

Don't give them any ideas... of course, if they did, it might be noticed, since it is on such a personal level, storekeeper-to-customer, but I still wouldn't put it past chain stores ("company policy, y'know") or ("the computer did it").

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by: Teddy Goodson @ Thu Aug 04, 2011 at 18:30:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

It works the other way too (0.00 / 0)

I lived in NJ for many years, at one time there was a controversial change in sales taxes on paper goods such as toilet paper. A progressive minded computer hacker broke into the mainframe of a large grocery store chain and I was in one of the stores and watched as register after register went offline as clerks attempted to ring up merchandise which had newly become taxable. I should note that the approval rating of the governor who signed the tax legislation dropped 24 points between March and September of that year.

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by: glennbear @ Thu Aug 04, 2011 at 18:52:17 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Jim Moran statement (4.00 / 1)

After 19 clean extensions of the FAA authorization, it is completely irresponsible for Republicans in Congress to allow a partial shutdown of the FAA, resulting in 74,000 people going without a paycheck, the majority of whom are working to rebuild crumbling infrastructure at our nation's airports.

While Republican Members of Congress continue to draw their paychecks during vacation, this gridlock has thrown the household finances of 74,000 families, who must pay their mortgages and car payments, into peril.

It is the height of hypocrisy to claim jobs as a top priority, yet be willing to furlough 4,000 workers without pay and sideline 70,000 construction workers dedicated to rebuilding our nation's critical air traffic infrastructure. While they also claim to be fighting for reducing government spending, Republican tea party intransigence and petty political gamesmanship is costing the Federal Government $200 million each week as shutdown endures.

Republicans in Congress should do the right thing and pass a clean extension of the FAA authorization until a larger FAA bill can be agreed upon.

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by: lowkell @ Thu Aug 04, 2011 at 19:22:29 PM UTC

Webb and Warner call on Boehner to Act (0.00 / 0)

SENATORS CALL ON SPEAKER BOEHNER TO USE PRO FORMA SESSIONS TO EXTEND FAA FUNDING, GET WORKERS BACK ON THE JOB

Extending FAA authorization cannot wait until September

Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (Both D-MD), with Senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez (Both D-NJ), and Senators Mark Warner and Jim Webb (Both D-VA) have written Speaker of the House John Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), urging the use the pro forma sessions of Congress to extend the current FAA authorization, immediately putting tens of thousands of workers back on the job.

Despite passing 20 short-term extensions previously, right now the House of Representatives is refusing to pass a straightforward extension to the agency's funding authority. While Congress is on recess, 4,000 Federal Aviation Administration employees and approximately 75,000 construction workers remain out of work, held hostage to the demands of House Republicans.

"We urge you to prevent a prolonged and devastating shutdown of an agency that is so vital to the expedience of U.S. commerce and the safety of the air travelling public. We stand ready to support immediate procedural action to prevent further delay in ending the FAA shutdown," the Senators wrote. "If a unanimous consent agreement cannot be reached, we request that you immediately call Congress back into session, under regular order, to debate and vote on an FAA authorization extension to restore the full operation of the FAA and get America's aviation professionals back to work."

The text of the letter follows (and attached):

Congress must resolve the extension of the authorization for the Federal Aviation Administration immediately. We strongly urge you to take the opportunity during the current pro forma session of Congress to pass by unanimous consent a bill to extend the FAA's current authorization. If a unanimous consent agreement cannot be reached, we request that you immediately call Congress back into session, under regular order, to debate and vote on an FAA authorization extension to restore the full operation of the FAA and get America's aviation professionals back to work.

The Federal Aviation Administration has effectively been shut down for thirteen days, resulting in the furlough of 4,000 FAA employees, issuance of stop work orders for more than 200 airport and aviation safety improvement projects that provide jobs for more than 70,000 workers, and the loss of an estimated $350,000,000 in revenues that support the maintenance, improvement and operational safety of our nation's complex aviation system. To allow this shut down to last until Congress' scheduled return in September would further harm our already fragile economy.

We urge you to prevent a prolonged and devastating shutdown of an agency that is so vital to the expedience of U.S. commerce and the safety of the air travelling public. We stand ready to support immediate procedural action to prevent further delay in ending the FAA shutdown.  We look forward to working with you on this issue.

Sincerely,

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin
U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski
U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg
U.S. Senator Robert Menendez
U.S. Senator Mark Warner
U.S. Senator Jim Webb

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by: lowkell @ Thu Aug 04, 2011 at 20:22:59 PM UTC

Mark Warner video (0.00 / 0)

Of course, he has to do his ridiculous "both parties" shtick, when as usual, this is overwhelmingly the fault of only ONE party, the Republican't Party.

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by: lowkell @ Thu Aug 04, 2011 at 20:27:41 PM UTC

Harry Reid to the rescue? (0.00 / 0)

It appears so.

Under the arrangement, the Democratic-controlled Senate on Friday will pass by unanimous consent a bill the Republican-led House passed in July that temporarily allows the FAA to conduct its business and slashes $16 million from the budget for subsidies paid to rural airports.

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by: lowkell @ Thu Aug 04, 2011 at 21:34:50 PM UTC

Do the math: $30 million per day of lost revenue time 30 days/month. (0.00 / 0)

That equals almost one billion dollars of last revenue in just one month. multiply that by 12 months and we're at over $10 billion in revenue in just one year. Well, let's just take this to the ultimate in idiocy and multiply by ten, and we're looking at on tenth of a trillion dollars in reduced revenue over the ten-year cycle.

All the Goofers have to do is, well,nothing and they can completely shut down the government, and never have to cast a vote to CUT taxes or REDUCE government because there won;t be any government left with all the government employees and contractors on the 2nd Great Depressions bread lines. Oh, I forgot there won't be any "bread lines" because there won't be any bread so all the wealthy republicans left if Congress whose salaries can't be paid won't be able to out food on their tables because their formerly wealthy corporate farmers won't be able to sell their wheat to the bread companies who won't be able to transport their products to the starving unemployed people when bread is too expensive for anyone but wealthy people to buy.

This is the classic historical example of how revolutions start. Let's start that revolution right now and take back our government this year at the local and state levels,next year at the national level. We certainly have all the anti-GOP ammunition we need, for which we have already paid dearly. Let's not waste that investment and this opportunity. Attack, attack, attack at every level and in every way possible. We've done it before and we can do it again,but we must all work hard together starting RIGHT
NOW !

                        T.C.

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by: Tom @ Thu Aug 04, 2011 at 22:09:20 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Connolly comments on FAA funding (0.00 / 0)

CONNOLLY ON FAA STALEMATE: Applauds Apparent Funding Agreement
Congress Must Pass Bill Now to Save Hundreds of Millions and Put Thousands Back to Work

WASHINGTON - Congressman Gerry Connolly today applauded President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Reid for working out an apparent agreement to allow passage this week of a House-passed FAA funding bill to put 4,000 FAA employees and tens of thousands of construction workers back to work and return $200 million a week in airline fees to the federal government.

Connolly said he hoped the Senate can use unanimous consent rules to pass the legislation.  "Both bodies can wrangle over the contentious issues that are stalling the FAA bill when they return to Washington in September, but right now we need to pass some funding to put FAA airport safety inspectors and 70,000 other workers back to work," he said. "These FAA workers and airport construction workers are not getting paid, their jobs aren't getting done, and the taxpayers are being robbed of $30 million a day.

Connolly praised the FAA airport safety inspectors who are using personal funds to continue to travel and do their jobs without pay.  "I applaud their dedication to public service, but it is shameful that they are required to reach into their own pockets to keep our airports safe.

Connolly criticized Republican leadership in both Houses for holding up the legislation to push for new restrictions on the right of airline workers to organize and to seek additional flight slots at Washington National Airport.  "It's ironic that the same crowd that preaches budget cutting was willing to let the federal government lose hundreds of millions of dollars and leave tens of thousands of airport workers without paychecks to advance their political agenda.

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by: lowkell @ Fri Aug 05, 2011 at 00:00:28 AM UTC

Morons (0.00 / 0)

are running this country.

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by: VADEM @ Fri Aug 05, 2011 at 00:36:18 AM UTC