Boeing and Kansas got a huge win Thursday with the Air Force tanker decision. Many analysts had expected another win by Airbus, so the announcement was a bit of a surprise. Of course, lawmakers from Alabama and elsewhere are sure to challenge the decision, just as our lawmakers did the last time, so it might take a while before the deal is finalized.
Though curbing earmark spending is important, “in the cause of national solvency, they are a trifle,” Indiana Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels noted at the recent Conservative Political Action Conference. “Talking much more about them, or ‘waste, fraud and abuse,’ trivializes what needs to be done, and misleads our fellow citizens to believe that easy answers are available to us.” Daniels understands that entitlement spending is the real budget concern, and he called for phasing out the current Social Security and Medicare systems and creating new compacts with young people. Daniels wants to change Medicare to a voucher program and would curb entitlements benefits to the wealthy. “These programs should reserve their funds for those most in need of them,” he said.
