2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumHouse Republicans Cut Defense Department Spending… On NASCAR
Who says Republicans are against cutting spending from programs their constituents favor? On Friday, the Appropriations Committee in the House of Representatives voted to approve cuts to the Department of Defenses budget which had been spent on recruitment sponsorships to motor sports and fishing. In a betrayal of Shakespearean proportions, as Politico notes, the final blow to the Pentagons NASCAR budget came from a Republican representative from Georgia.
Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) was the deciding vote on what Politicos David Rogers reports as Rep. Betty McCollums (R-MN) effort to defund these programs. While it represents a drop in the bucket in terms of total defense spending, these programs were far from cheap:
NASCAR commands the lions share of these expenditures, estimated at about $80 million in 2012 altogether. And new estimates from the National Guard show that more than $135 million has been spent over the past five years just for the Guards sponsorship and branding efforts through Hendricks Motorsports in North Carolina and the racing team of star driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Rep. McCollum had forced a vote on this measure last year, but it failed on the House floor with 281 148 votes. Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan has promised to volunteer as a cosponsor for the bill if any Member attempts to strike this amendment if there is a move to strike this when the House votes on this appropriations next month.
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http://www.mediaite.com/online/house-republicans-cut-defense-department-spending%E2%80%A6-on-nascar/
southernyankeebelle
(11,304 posts)DJ13
(23,671 posts)In a budget as large as the DoD thats like a billionaire saving a few pennies.
I guess that will allow the GOP to claim they have 'slashed' a program within the defense budget, but they would only do that so they can try and prevent real cuts down the line.
Sheepshank
(12,504 posts)He tried to be such a regular old Joe with friends that are in the ownership of NASCAR...now he can't even claim that!
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)Two drvers who get a lot of camera time. Public appearances and commercials on behalf of US Army and NG. Private appearances at bases... good morale move. Plus, isnt it much better to spend on race cars than wars?
otohara
(24,135 posts)and I bet there would be fewer wars and neocon threats of war.
Ikonoklast
(23,973 posts)One.
The money would have been better spent on VA care for wounded vets instead of lining team owner's pockets, because that's where that sponsor money ends up.
Just another subsidy for millionaire team owners.
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)But they arent and you dont.
Ikonoklast
(23,973 posts)Then get back to me.
WASTED MONEY.
Mittens is pals with lots of team owners.
Bet that DoD ad money bought a lot of JP-4 for their Gulfstreams.