Anybody know what the Essential Air Service(EAS) is? Me neither. But apparently this was the big sticking point that caused the FAA to shut down operations over the last few days because of tea-party objections to the waste that it represents.
Here's the 411 on the EAS: in '78 when the airlines were deregulated congress, fearing loss of air service to small towns where voters live, passed a subsidy law stating that any community that had been enjoying service could get government money to coax airlines into continuing to serve that community. The assumption was that in order to be more competitive, airlines would cut unprofitable service to small towns. And why shouldn't they? Airlines are private businesses which exist for only one reason...to make as much profit as possible.
Insufferable democrat Jay Rockefeller made this his pet project 30 years ago and taxpayers are still being raped to the tune of over $100Million a year to pay for people who choose to live far from large airports, to enjoy convenient flight service. I realize that $100Million is a drop on the bucket, but you have to start eliminating the waste somewhere.
This is no different that punishment-gluttons in Florida wanting other Americans to subsidize their outrageous hurricane insurance policies do they can afford to keep living on the beach in the paths of hurricanes.
Not only should the EAS be scaled back, it should be eliminated altogether. And I'll bet there are hundreds of idiotic pork expenditures like this that if eliminated, would make a sizable dent in the budget deficit.
Essential Air Service??? WTH?
3 comments:
The real sticking point is the attempt by the Republicans to reverse the ruling by the National Mediation Board allowing airlines to be unionized by a majority of those voting. Previously, a majority of the eligible voters had to approve unionization. Even with this new rule, unions have spectacularly failed to organize giant Delta Airlines - so of course they are running to the federal government crying, "unfair." The Dems refuse to compromise on this.
EAS is a big boondoggle to be sure.
Aaaahh...I should have suspected the unionization issue was involved.
Essential? Let the market decide.
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