“If we can’t put an end to these extravagant subsidies, then we will never be able to rein in spending where really hard decisions are necessary,” said Tom Petri, the chairman of the House aviation subcommittee, upon submitting the bill. Talk about pound foolish. When the F.A.A. lost operational authority, it lost its ability to collect $200 million in taxes a week. These taxes would have paid for the airport subsidies in about 14 hours. There is more going on here. As we have seen in many Republican-led states, an attack on “excessive” government spending is also often a bid to break labor unions.Last year, the National Mediation Board changed a rule to make it easier for airline and railroad workers to unionize. Until then, workers who did not vote in union representation elections were counted as “no” votes; after the change, they are counted as abstentions. Pushed by the airline lobby, House Republicans passed a long-term F.A.A. reauthorization in April that would have undone the rule change. The Senate’s reauthorization bill, passed in February, maintained the rule.Earlier this month, John Mica, the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, told an aviation conference that adding the airport subsidy provision to the temporary bill to keep the F.A.A. running is “just a tool” to force the Senate to give in on the union issue.Next time voters hear Republicans talking about taking a principled stand against government spending, they should keep this sorry and cynical tale in mind.
“If we can’t put an end to these extravagant subsidies, then we will never be able to rein in spending where really hard decisions are necessary,” said Tom Petri, the chairman of the House aviation subcommittee, upon submitting the bill. Talk about pound foolish. When the F.A.A. lost operational authority, it lost its ability to collect $200 million in taxes a week. These taxes would have paid for the airport subsidies in about 14 hours. There is more going on here. As we have seen in many Republican-led states, an attack on “excessive” government spending is also often a bid to break labor unions.Last year, the National Mediation Board changed a rule to make it easier for airline and railroad workers to unionize. Until then, workers who did not vote in u
nion representation elections were counted as “no” votes; after the change, they are counted as abstentions. Pushed by the airline lobby, House Republicans passed a long-term F.A.A. reauthorization in April that would have undone the rule change. The Senate’s reauthorization bill, passed in February, maintained the rule.Earlier this month, John Mica, the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, told an aviation conference that adding the airport subsidy provision to the temporary bill to keep the F.A.A. running is “just a tool” to force the Senate to give in on the union issue.Next time voters hear Republicans talking about taking a principled stand against government spending, they should keep this sorry and cynical tale in mind.