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Obama admin uses sequester excuse to scrap fireworks at military bases

Last year's Independence Day at the base cost about $100,000, including $25,000 for the fireworks. The big issue is paying the overtime to personnel for security, transportation, logistics and safety. Base officials said they couldn't justify paying overtime when federal workers are losing pay while furloughed.

No problem finding $100 MM for an Obama boondoggle in Africa, but can't afford $100k for fireworks.

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Let’s keep it real, shall we..

The administration made decisions, and those decisions have trickle down impacts..no doubt... and they suck...
But that’s along was from silly claims that the Big O canceled the 4th of July

Local commanders at each post make these on post even decisions, yes they have budget crises on their hands, and folks are being sent home no pay, let go all together, hiring freeze, services stopped, cut back, new construction and renovation projects scaled back or cut…and that is just the post operation funds,, Lest not talk about operational funding…
Each post commander makes a call, spend on this, cut that, marginalize this, partial fund that.
With huge funding shortfalls … $100k spent on a 2 hours show could go a long ways toward building that new day care facility, sports arena, hospital, exercise field or running path… or just paying to keep the street lights on.

At Fort Hood this year
"FORT HOOD (July 1, 2013) -- The cost of celebrating America's freedom doesn't come cheap. Carnivals, high-end talent and fireworks can add up.

Sequestration and budget cuts have forced several military installations to cut their Fourth of July events this year. Fort Hood still plans to hold Freedom Fest, but will have to trim it down to just the coveted fireworks display.
"

E.Marquez wrote:Let’s keep it real, shall we..

Yes. Let's keep it real.

The most destructive, immoral, unethical, illegal, corrupt administration in the history of our country keeps on doing what they are doing and essentially get away consequence free.

Please. No more excuses.

Anygunanywhere

Many cities over the years have to cut these as well due to the budget. They need to find local funding to donate the funds for the soldiers.

anygunanywhere wrote:

E.Marquez wrote:Let’s keep it real, shall we..

Yes. Let's keep it real.

The most destructive, immoral, unethical, illegal, corrupt administration in the history of our country keeps on doing what they are doing and essentially get away consequence free.

Please. No more excuses.

Anygunanywhere

Obama may not have cut fireworks directly, but his crisis brought on by HIS INSISTENCE not to compromise has led to base commander's having to make the decisions. Obama is NOT the Commander in Chief; he may hold the title, but he is NOT a COMMANDER.

anygunanywhere wrote:

E.Marquez wrote:Let’s keep it real, shall we..

Yes. Let's keep it real.

The most destructive, immoral, unethical, illegal, corrupt administration in the history of our country keeps on doing what they are doing and essentially get away consequence free.

Please. No more excuses.

Anygunanywhere

Sir, not an excuse.. I will, would never make them for this admin.

BUT, honest people have to honestly discuss things as they are not how they want them to be.
The US President did not cancel any fireworks show at any US military base.
Decisions were made by the administration and congress that caused a short fall of funds, and military bases cut many things to make it work.
One of those things cut by some post commanders was a yearly entertainment event.

E.Marquez wrote: BUT, honest people have to honestly discuss things as they are not how they want them to be.
The US President did not cancel any fireworks show at any US military base.
Decisions were made by the administration and congress that caused a short fall of funds, and military bases cut many things to make it work.
One of those things cut by some post commanders was a yearly entertainment event.

Thank you. The continual half-truth (at best) mud slinging really bothers me. Why can't we tell the complete truth? Why do we need to bend the facts or distort them so completely to score a point for our side.

I know what the answer will be: "Because they do it too".
Seriously, it should stop.. Maybe it works on the majority of people that just accept statements at face value, but for those of us who actually look under the covers, it's ridiculous. To me, it indicative of what type of voting public we are and sure explains how we ended up in this mess.

Honestly, if we're in a deficit and the 4th of july celebration gets cancelled - regardless of who is in power in the administration, it's a good way to call attention to a fact that seems to have been over looked for the last decade: That is, we continue to spend the way we have, my kids are going to be paying for our spending for the rest of their lives. I don't care if it's $25k or $25B. It's got to stop somewhere... Personally, if I knew in advance, I'd raise the funds privately and make that celebration happen.

cb1000rider wrote:
Thank you. The continual half-truth (at best) mud slinging really bothers me. Why can't we tell the complete truth? Why do we need to bend the facts or distort them so completely to score a point for our side.

Truth? You want truth?



Anygunanywhere

cb1000rider wrote:

E.Marquez wrote: BUT, honest people have to honestly discuss things as they are not how they want them to be.
The US President did not cancel any fireworks show at any US military base.
Decisions were made by the administration and congress that caused a short fall of funds, and military bases cut many things to make it work.
One of those things cut by some post commanders was a yearly entertainment event.

Thank you. The continual half-truth (at best) mud slinging really bothers me. Why can't we tell the complete truth? Why do we need to bend the facts or distort them so completely to score a point for our side.

I know what the answer will be: "Because they do it too".
Seriously, it should stop.. Maybe it works on the majority of people that just accept statements at face value, but for those of us who actually look under the covers, it's ridiculous. To me, it indicative of what type of voting public we are and sure explains how we ended up in this mess.

Honestly, if we're in a deficit and the 4th of july celebration gets cancelled - regardless of who is in power in the administration, it's a good way to call attention to a fact that seems to have been over looked for the last decade: That is, we continue to spend the way we have, my kids are going to be paying for our spending for the rest of their lives. I don't care if it's $25k or $25B. It's got to stop somewhere... Personally, if I knew in advance, I'd raise the funds privately and make that celebration happen.

It does not help that given the deficit that we are facing, the President - and most of Congress for that matter - are living like Kings. I do not begrudge ANYBODY who can afford a lavish vacation to spend HIS money the way that he wants to. Obama IS rich and he could afford to take a lavish vacation, but the APPEARANCE that he is having fun at tax payers expense while a lot of people can barely afford to gas up their cars to go to work is NOT helping his image (as if it could be helped).

I wouldn't mind cancelling the shows if they were really cutting the budget. The problem is, the administration has repeatedly encouraged all departments to make their sequester cuts as visible and public-facing as possible. Cutting fireworks is fine until you look at everything they haven't cut.

Two things to address the posts above:
1) Is Obama really living a different lifestyle than any of the modern presidents before him? It's not like he can fly commercial. I'm not sure that a modern president could actually alter the lifestyle, with some exceptions for personal holidays... I care not about the appearances, the reality is that the president can no more ride in a Taurus than I can ride a donkey to school.

2) Congress, as a whole, is a bunch of career politicians that are set for life. They'll never really be impacted by most of their legislation, outside of whatever possible kick-backs they can hand friends and business associates indirectly. They're not in it for the best interest of the country. They're in it, at best, for the interests of the state and businesses that support them directly. It's pretty rare that you'll see a person in congress turn down legislation that has benefit at home even if it hurts the country as a whole.

We're all part of the problem. Want to build a wall around the border? How are we doing to do that without increasing taxes? No one wants to pay for anything. We all want fewer taxes and less government, just as long as it doesn't interfere with the agenda item that is most important to us.

We fall for the same old political speech each time: Balance the budget by cutting waste, balance the budget by economic growth, lower taxes for all, more benefits of the type that their support base is interested in. Oh and if we can pander to a demographic, regardless of it being gun-toting 2nd amendment Texan, poor immigrants, or a union or two...well, we'll throw that in there also.

I see talk on this forum about a "reset" button and inferred civil unrest or something more violent implied, but we are largely the reason why we're at this point. Want a reset? Stop behaving the same way that you've been behaving at the ballot box for the last 30+ years. Question your favorite political party or vote the other way... It'll garner some attention and might promote a little change.

Well Fort Sill is having a concert and fireworks!

I still get to take Mondays off!

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