943,772 Members | Top Members by Rank

Community Center > Geeks' Lounge > Your tax dollars at work.
Ad:
You are currently viewing page 1 of this multi-page discussion thread
Permalink
Jun 11th, 2007
0

Your tax dollars at work.

Expand Post »
This is what we pay taxes for?

Rep. Miller denounces funding of struggling aircraft

U.S. Rep. Brad Miller of Raleigh is calling for an end to years of federal funding to an aerospace company that is trying to develop a military aircraft that takes off and lands vertically.

Miller, a Democrat, is scheduled to appear tonight on ABC's World News Tonight, which plans to air a report on the DP-2 Aircraft. DuPont Aerospace Co., based in San Diego, is developing the aircraft.

Congressional earmarks have provided $63 million over 20 years for the DP-2, which is the brainchild of aerospace engineer Tony duPont. According to a news release issued today by Miller's office, the aircraft has never flown successfully.

"After 20 years and $63 million dollars, I think Tony duPont needs to find another source of funding rather than the American taxpayer," Miller is quoted in the news release as saying.

Miller is chairman of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Science and Technology Committee. The subcommittee is scheduled to hold a hearing Tuesday on the DP-2.

The aircraft has suffered from four mishaps in the past four years, and some government experts question the competence and capabilities of duPont Aerospace, according to Miller's office. Miller said a series of Republicans in Congress have worked to ensure funding for the project, despite questions about whether the investment is worthwhile.

This "aircraft" has not left the ground much less the flat bed truck that it spends time on in the twenty years that the Republicans have given this turkey millions with no apparent expectations for a timely or functional result.
dcc
Reputation Points: 138
Solved Threads: 36
Posting Virtuoso
dcc is offline Offline
1,525 posts
since Mar 2005
Permalink
Jun 12th, 2007
0

Re: Your tax dollars at work.

i hate it when those jerks do that... our president buyed a private luxury jet with OUR money...
Featured Poster
Reputation Points: 424
Solved Threads: 57
Posting Virtuoso
Nichito is offline Offline
1,594 posts
since Mar 2007
Permalink
Jun 12th, 2007
0

Re: Your tax dollars at work.

oh my, that's nothing compared to the pork barreling that has occured yearly.. someone should post that, and piss everyone off..
Reputation Points: 1315
Solved Threads: 10
Banned
joshSCH is offline Offline
4,845 posts
since Jul 2005
Permalink
Jun 12th, 2007
0

Re: Your tax dollars at work.

Granted the government's annual waste of tax dollars is reprehensible, but this project was kept on life support for 20 years!?! The "pork barrel" waste that you read about is what is being found, what I'm concerned about is how many more of these pipe dreams are being supported with our tax dollars.
dcc
Reputation Points: 138
Solved Threads: 36
Posting Virtuoso
dcc is offline Offline
1,525 posts
since Mar 2005
Permalink
Jun 12th, 2007
0

Re: Your tax dollars at work.

Yes, the pork-barreling is deplorable, but unlike the aircraft thing at least most of those projects do get completed and benefit someone (roads, bridges, etc).

I just still cannot believe they are allowed to attach completely unrelated expenditure items like those to a bill they know must pass.
Last edited by Ezzaral; Jun 12th, 2007 at 12:21 pm.
Moderator
Featured Poster
Reputation Points: 3239
Solved Threads: 838
Posting Genius
Ezzaral is offline Offline
6,761 posts
since May 2007
Permalink
Jun 12th, 2007
0

Re: Your tax dollars at work.

Click to Expand / Collapse  Quote originally posted by dcc ...
a military aircraft that takes off and lands vertically.

Your goverment are obviosuly a bunch of dumbasses then. Thats called VTOL. The Harrier jumpjet has it. Has been serving in the royal airforce since the 1960s.

from wiki:

Quote ...
VTOL is an abbreviaton for Vertical Take-Off and Landing. VTOL describes fixed-wing aircraft that can lift off vertically
Quote ...
Harrier Jump Jet, often referred to as just "the Jump Jet", covers a series of a military VSTOL jet aircraft. It is capable of vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) via thrust vectoring and is the only truly successful design of this type from the many that arose in the 1960s.
Last edited by jbennet; Jun 12th, 2007 at 12:38 pm.
Moderator
Featured Poster
Reputation Points: 1764
Solved Threads: 574
Moderator
jbennet is offline Offline
16,505 posts
since Apr 2005
Permalink
Jun 12th, 2007
0

Re: Your tax dollars at work.

Transcript of congressional hearing on this, May 9th, 2001:
http://www.skyaid.org/Skycar/congress_may_9_2001.htm
Moderator
Featured Poster
Reputation Points: 3239
Solved Threads: 838
Posting Genius
Ezzaral is offline Offline
6,761 posts
since May 2007
Permalink
Jun 12th, 2007
0

Re: Your tax dollars at work.

Click to Expand / Collapse  Quote originally posted by jbennet ...
Your goverment are obviosuly a bunch of dumbasses then. Thats called VTOL. The Harrier jumpjet has it. Has been serving in the royal airforce since the 1960s.

from wiki:
Well why the hell didn't the British just tell us how to make one
Reputation Points: 1315
Solved Threads: 10
Banned
joshSCH is offline Offline
4,845 posts
since Jul 2005
Permalink
Jun 12th, 2007
0

Re: Your tax dollars at work.

You guys have a VTOL helicopter and your new JSF will be VTOL too?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-22_Osprey

how come you got a nice airforce by the way. ours is full of ancient outdated stuff
Last edited by jbennet; Jun 12th, 2007 at 1:34 pm.
Moderator
Featured Poster
Reputation Points: 1764
Solved Threads: 574
Moderator
jbennet is offline Offline
16,505 posts
since Apr 2005
Permalink
Jun 12th, 2007
0

Re: Your tax dollars at work.

Something I was recently shown that interested me professionally, but is also a bit humorous:
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=6225
Team Colleague
Reputation Points: 2780
Solved Threads: 312
long time no c
Dave Sinkula is offline Offline
4,790 posts
since Apr 2004

This thread is more than three months old

No one has posted to this discussion for at least three months. Please let old threads die and do not reply to them unless you feel you have something new and valuable to contribute that absolutely must be added to make the discussion complete. Otherwise, please start a new thread in this forum instead.
Message:
Previous Thread in Geeks' Lounge Forum Timeline: Disgusted!!
Next Thread in Geeks' Lounge Forum Timeline: Wish me luck





About Us | Contact Us | Advertise | Acceptable Use Policy
Forum Index | Build Custom RSS Feed


Follow us on Twitter


© 2011 DaniWeb® LLC