Article: America Has Grounded the Wright Brothers

"Jay Honeck" writes:

On this historic 100-year anniversary of flight, we should rededicate
ourselves to the cultural values that made aviation possible and that made
America great. If we truly want to see continued progress--in aviation and
elsewhere--we must embrace it wholeheartedly, and we must leave our giants
of industry free to innovate without being taxed, regulated, and sued out
of
existence.

Right on!

Now, as usual, comes the hard part: What do we do about it?

As a first step, let's form a congressional committee to look into this.

-jav

"Javier Henderson" wrote in message
...
"Jay Honeck" writes:

On this historic 100-year anniversary of flight, we should rededicate
ourselves to the cultural values that made aviation possible and that
made
America great. If we truly want to see continued progress--in aviation
and
elsewhere--we must embrace it wholeheartedly, and we must leave our
giants
of industry free to innovate without being taxed, regulated, and sued
out
of
existence.

Right on!

Now, as usual, comes the hard part: What do we do about it?

As a first step, let's form a congressional committee to look into this.

A few $$$millions in PAC money would help...

Just a few million? With 400,000 AOPA members that ought to be easy. How
much does a congressman go for these days, anyway?

Let's say the typical House election costs $2 million or so. We don't need
to underwrite that whole amount, because our interest is limited and not
nearly as hot politically as say guns or abortion or tobacco. Most people
don't care about small planes as long as they're not falling on their house
so I figure we can buy a vote for, say, 5% of the election's cost, which
equates to $10,000. Now with 435 seats we need 218 to pass a bill, which
means $2,180,000, or about the cost of two Starbucks coffees per AOPA
member.

I wonder how much AOPA money is going to candidates? With the
McCain-Feingold BCRA thing now fully in effect groups like AOPA that can
bundle large numbers of hard money donations together are going to become
more important than ever. It may be corrupt to high hell but it's the way
the game is played.

Best,
-cwk.

"Tom Sixkiller" wrote in message
...

A few $$$millions in PAC money would help...

"Colin Kingsbury" wrote in message
nk.net...
Just a few million? With 400,000 AOPA members that ought to be easy. How
much does a congressman go for these days, anyway?

Let's say the typical House election costs $2 million or so. We don't need
to underwrite that whole amount, because our interest is limited and not
nearly as hot politically as say guns or abortion or tobacco. Most people
don't care about small planes as long as they're not falling on their
house
so I figure we can buy a vote for, say, 5% of the election's cost, which
equates to $10,000. Now with 435 seats we need 218 to pass a bill, which
means $2,180,000, or about the cost of two Starbucks coffees per AOPA
member.

Would that be soft money?

(Ever wonder what would happen to "soft money" if Congress didn't have the
power to hand out favor/goodies and dispensations? Gee...where's the
Catholic Church when we need 'em?)

In rec.aviation.owning Colin Kingsbury wrote:
: Just a few million? With 400,000 AOPA members that ought to be easy. How
: much does a congressman go for these days, anyway?

How many of those 400,000 AOPA members are still in the land of the living?

--
Aaron Coolidge (N9376J)