GOP Forest Fire Plan - Fight Your Own - Here's Your Shovel

[TheMastersNemesis]

As America burns the GOP wants to cut just about everything except the military. They want to cut taxes even more and eliminate all taxes on the rich and business like they just did in Kansas. We do not need more money to fight forest fires. It is ironic that where the forests burn, it is mostly Republican or teabaggers who are independent and tell other Americans to pull up your own bootstraps when you are in need.

Today we have a fire in Colorado that will not be out until nature puts it out in September. And we have over 1000 firefighters on the line with thousands of dollars on them in equipment. What the public does not know is that we have only 9 heavy air tankers nationwide to fight these fires. The youngest plane is 51 years old.

We live near the airport where these planes are fueled and reloaded. We have watched three planes running continuous missions for days now from sunrise until dark. And they go anywhere in the state where there is a fire. In 2002 based on our local newspaper there were 44 of these plane mostly WWII and Korean War vintage in operation. As stated earlier there are only NINE now for the entire country. That means the GOP has allowed the air fleet to degrade since 2002.

A few years ago a PBY4 a WWII version of the B-24 flew right over my house at about 300 feet fully loaded. Everything in the house shook as it went right over my garage. It was neat to see it so close I could have waved at the pilots. I was stunned to hear that its wings came off near Estes Park about a week later. And it had flown right over my house!

These plane reach maximum stress when they dump their several thousands of pounds of retardant. Each mission puts maximum stress on their wings. And every mission are is actually quite dangerous.

President Obama has just included $24 million in the 2013 budget for more planes, which are privately contracted. The Forest Service does not own any of its own. And I will bet the GOP thinks that we cannot afford it. We must cut taxes first.

Most of the recipients of the firefighting help who live in those fire prone areas would never vote for a SOCIALIST Democrat or President Obama for that matter. Talk is cheap. They praise the firefighters, but don't want to pay any taxes.

I just get tired of the "me first" politics. The question is what will they do when the fire comes and NO ONE SHOWS UP TO HELP?.

[Bohunk68]

1. Since we are talking about Rethuglicans

Might I suggest changing the title by adding a "W", as in, "Where's your shovel?" The Rethugs wouldn't even THINK of providing a shovel, but would expect you to go out and buy one, preferably from Lowe's (Mormon owned).

[kaiden]

2. Another Colorado fire south of us by Eleven Mile Reservoir.

Around 500 acres now, started by people "shooting explosives." Yesterday afternoon single engine air tankers flew over our house and started again this morning. Since this fire is in Park County, where any tax is loathed and TeaBaggery is king, I will await this outcome with amused ponderings.

[Wounded Bear]

3. Well, lately they haven't even been praising the firefighters....

Now they're just more "lazy government workers" to the "let it burn" crowd.