Military Sponsorships on Chopping Block?

[Jenn]

A lot of people in the US didn't get a 1% pay increase last year. Many took a big cut. Everybodys insurance went up too. I work for the Army and I make a lot less than what I did at my old job. But that place went out of business. I believe troops get a 2% raise this year where civilians like me are froze for 2 years.

I'm sorry, were you or your spouse deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan or Kuwait Are you on a list to possibly be deployed again within the next year or two? How many months were you in a tent last year dodging bullets? How many times did you get the blood of your brother in arms on your hands?

Last time I checked, it was still only 1% pay raise a year.

 

[MHayes]

Ahhhh....they're lovin' it in Berkeley

The motive behind Representative McCollum's proposed amendment is plain and clear to any first grader in North America. This woman currently has the most liberal voting record in the United States Congress. Right or wrong - you make the call - this group of people spend untold amounts of time and effort to defund and discredit almost EVERYTHING having to do with the military. If you doubt that statement, book a flight to Berkeley, Ca. and ask around.

She also is a sitting member of the House Subcommittee on Military Appropriations, where she merrily chops away at nearly everything having to do with the defense budget, like the F35 engine deal. If she maddens NASCAR racers and fans, who cares. As a group, they vote conservative and NASCAR is effectively nonexistent in Minnesota anyway. Plus her liberal pals will cheer the fact that she saved each person in the country 3 cents, every year, no less.

If auto racing wasn't such an effective recruiting tool for the military, despite being a comparatively miniscule amount of money, I'd say drop the sponsorships, despite my being an avid supporter of both NASCAR and NHRA. Right is right, after all, and every little bit adds up. But there are two glaring problems.

One, military racing sponsorships ARE effective recruiting tools and the US needs an effective military. My apologies to those among us who feel otherwise; we can't talk our way out of everything. And two, this is a provable 100% cut and dried political move. Representative McCollum has no qualms whatsoever about using the money saved from abandoning racing sponsorships to enhance government entitlement programs, and has publically stated exactly that. In other words, it's not about saving money at all. It's about redistributing it to hand-picked pet causes.

I hate politicians.

Excellent post Carl! Really enjoyed reading that!

 

[.]

The last thing I want my tax money to fund is NPR or PBS. These are left wing companies and don't always have our nation's best interests in mind. NPR is flat out radical.

And if they cut public funding for these you will still want to subsidize a millionares race team.

 

[Jenn]

This attitude is something else. You all complain about the lack of corporate sponsorship and how drag racers are the red headed step children of the motorsports world when it comes to support, media and sponsorship, yet you complain about one of the few sponsorships who DO support drag racing??

Wow.

And with this train of thought, should we park the Blue Angels, Thunderbirds, or Golden Knights too?

You must be thinking of the wrong person Tom. I think NHRA has lost it's way in over-commercialization. Official this, Official that, gimme a break.

When I was younger, and actually went into the pro-pits, it used to be that you could get more up close and personal to the crews and drivers and now they are shuttled to so many media and publicity events, you see the drivers coming and going.

Tony S. does to a great job of representing the military but so do the folks that fly over there to visit with the troops without the government writing the annual checks out for sponsorship.

 

[twostep]

Moon, if you simply don't want your tax dollars funding a race team, I'll support your choice 100 percent. Just don't make it political. Not saying you are, just saying. Anyone, and I mean anyone left OR right, who merely wants to divert the funds in a different direction is a hypocrite.

Representative McCollum doesn't know a NASCAR/NHRA operation, and how each interacts with military recruiting, from a one-eyed jackass. It's nothing more than taking money from Conservative Pot A and depositing it in Liberal Pot B. A shell game that you and I are going to pay for, regardless. Believe me, I'd post the same words if this was a conservative proposal.

If you're going to cut 10M (or whatever) from the military's sponsorship budget, then put the money back in the US Treasury and pay down the national debt with it. Period.

 

[bodyman]

Just think, "all that money" they spent on a whole season with nascar, and they could have had "3" super-bowl commercials,

 

[.]

Moon, if you simply don't want your tax dollars funding a race team, I'll support your choice 100 percent. Just don't make it political. Not saying you are, just saying. Anyone, and I mean anyone left OR right, who merely wants to divert the funds in a different direction is a hypocrite.

Representative McCollum doesn't know a NASCAR/NHRA operation, and how each interacts with military recruiting, from a one-eyed jackass. It's nothing more than taking money from Conservative Pot A and depositing it in Liberal Pot B. A shell game that you and I are going to pay for, regardless. Believe me, I'd post the same words if it were coming the other way.

I have not said one thing political about it. The thread, along with a few others, trash anyone who isn't a "conservative", and its not me doing it.

I have long been against this practice of using tax dollars for racing. There is only ONE branch that still does it, but I don'b believe the Marines, Navy or Air Force is having any more trouble getting recruits than the Army. I do not believe Newman Haas' claim that because of racing the Army gained 46,000 recruits. That is just nonsense.

There is no reason for my, or anyone elses, tax dollars to fund a millionares folly. If he cant find sponsors or do it himself, he should stay home. Not take money from the solidiers. Yeah, I said soliders. Did you know that some soilders actually took their own body armor to Iraq since the Army didn't have egood enough stuff? I bet the 10+ million spent on motor sports could have made a dent in that number (no pun intended).

 

[Marchboom]

And if they cut public funding for these you will still want to subsidize a millionares race team.

If the sponsorships of race teams help the military to accomplish their goals and it is cost effective, then, yes, I want our tax money to go to something that is cost effective. I know the liberals will have trouble with this "cost effective" concept.

NPR puts out America hating crap and serves no purpose, IMO. PBS? Lot of tax payer money going to something that very few people watch. Neither is cost effective.

 

[mw6789]

I'm not a big fan of it either. Sponsor a race team or give better pay raises to the troops. Last year it was 1% pay increase. Our medical and dental premiums went up too.

Makes you wonder how some of the low ranking families trying to get by on poor pay and food stamps feel about seeing the Army sponsor a top fuel car.

 

[mw6789]

This attitude is something else. You all complain about the lack of corporate sponsorship and how drag racers are the red headed step children of the motorsports world when it comes to support, media and sponsorship, yet you complain about one of the few sponsorships who DO support drag racing??

Wow.

And with this train of thought, should we park the Blue Angels, Thunderbirds, or Golden Knights too?

With the country $13 trillion dollars in debt, I would say YES.

 

[mw6789]

I hate politicians. [/QUOTE]

AMEN BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SundayNiagara]

I hate politicians.

AMEN BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/QUOTE]

Post of the year!

 

[BigDaddyB]

I think whatever side you line up on; Republican, Democrat, Conservative, Liberal, or anything inbetween, this thread is not a political issue. Its about selling to the youth of America that military service is a good deal. Now if we don't used the money in that endeavor then let us make sure that every soldier gets the very best medical attention that money can buy. Can we make sure that every vet has a place to stay besides the streets. Can we use the money to retrain vets who are disabled by war. Can we make sure that those who made the ultimate sacrifice that their children be given every advantage to succeed in life. This should not be about race cars. This country has a duty to the military to provide support for our soldiers who volunteer to do what most people would not do and that is to go into harms way.

 

[twostep]

I have not said one thing political about it.

What part of "NOT SAYING YOU ARE, JUST SAYING" is unclear to you?

You're trying to defend something you weren't even accused of. We aren't on the same page but you have every right to read the same book, so go for it. Write your congressperson. Complain to the Army. Tell DSR how you feel. Do a Wesley Snipes and tell the IRS to pound sand. You're a free American; you have my blessing.

Personally, I'm glad to chip in 3 cents a year (or 3 bucks, should 99% of the country decide to opt out) to keep a major sponsor involved in drag racing. I'm not OK with sending billions of dollars to third-world dictators or funding a multimillion-dollar study on the sexual habits of cockroaches. As a free American, I too have a choice. That's mine. Feel free to disagree. Argument over.

 

[.]

Argument over.

How open minded of you.

 

[.]

I think whatever side you line up on; Republican, Democrat, Conservative, Liberal, or anything inbetween, this thread is not a political issue. Its about selling to the youth of America that military service is a good deal. Now if we don't used the money in that endeavor then let us make sure that every soldier gets the very best medical attention that money can buy. Can we make sure that every vet has a place to stay besides the streets. Can we use the money to retrain vets who are disabled by war. Can we make sure that those who made the ultimate sacrifice that their children be given every advantage to succeed in life. This should not be about race cars. This country has a duty to the military to provide support for our soldiers who volunteer to do what most people would not do and that is to go into harms way.

Many vets are having their homes foreclosed on.

Maybe the 10-15 million a year, x how many years? spent on racing could be spend to assist them with that little problem.

 

[mick]

......This should not be about race cars..............

it's not.....it's about the military using a portion of
annual adv't. budget to attract new recruits, nothing more, nothing less.
The military thinks american series race fans are
of a certain patriotic type akin to traits they admire in a soldier; hence they
adv't. in racing series to attract and retain recruits.
The politician/s who oppose this method of adv't. must think that their
methodology is flawed; one wonders what these same politicians must think
about ROTC, high school, shopping malls, TV and many other avenues
the army uses to recruit?

 

[.]

it's not.....it's about the military using a portion of
annual adv't. budget to attract new recruits, nothing more, nothing less.
The military thinks american series race fans are
of a certain patriotic type akin to traits they admire in a soldier; hence they
adv't. in racing series to attract and retain recruits.
The politician/s who oppose this method of adv't. must think that their
methodology is flawed; one wonders what these same politicians must think
about ROTC, high school, shopping malls, TV and many other avenues
the army uses to recruit?

No. What it is about is using tax payer dollars to subsidize millionares racing operations. They have the money to spend on this, they would just rather use government money for it.

There are private industry sponsors out there.

 

[mick]

.....There are private industry sponsors out there.....

my understanding is that the Army approached NHRA about 10 yrs. ago; i also
recall that there was a bidding war amongst racers for this contract;
i remember don prudhomme's name being part of this........anyone else
remember it this way? or am i off base?

the gov't. approached nhra - should nhra decline?

 

[.]

my understanding is that the Army approached NHRA about 10 yrs. ago; i also
recall that there was a bidding war amongst racers for this contract;
i remember don prudhomme's name being part of this........anyone else
remember it this way? or am i off base?

the gov't. approached nhra - should nhra decline?

In light of todays economy the money could be better spent.
Perhaps by loaning the military families that are having their homes forclosed upon a few bucks to save them.