Strange that media have not questioned where the lofty $10 million to $30 million cost for a military parade in Washington, D.C., requested by President Donald Trump, originated, wonders Grumpy Editor.
True, the estimate came from the Office of Management and Budget. But what is the source of the estimated cost?
Capitol Hill and Pentagon parade critics say the parade idea is expensive and impractical.
Tanks, artillery pieces and other equipment already have been paid by taxpayers. Transporting shouldn’t have a price tag since military vehicles already purchased would be employed instead of being parked or stored someplace.
Even if aircraft are used to fly equipment, they, too, are paid for and often are used in training missions.
As for military personnel, whether sitting in barracks, or marching along Pennsylvania Ave., they are paid twice a month.
OMB says the estimated parade figures aren’t included in the president’s fiscal 2019 budget request that was released last Monday.
The ultimate cost would depend on the length and scope of the parade, says budget director Mick Mulvaney, pointing out “obviously a one hour parade is different than a five hour parade, in terms of the cost and the equipment and those types of things,” and admitting “we’ve not done much research on it yet.”
IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…
NEW SCHOOL BUILDING LOOMS. Parkland, Fla. students will never be returning to Building 12 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School again. Florida legislators say they will provide the resources to help the Broward School District tear down Building 12, the site of the massacre that killed 17 students and teachers. They want to build new classroom space and replace the site of the murders with a memorial to honor victims and their families.
WRONG TIME. Some media and others criticized President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania, of spending only six minutes at Broward Health North Hospital visiting Parkland school shooting victims, their families and medical staff. Actual time there: 45 minutes.
‘STOP THE PRESSES’ ON HORIZON. Newspaper printing presses may have another decade of life in them, New York Times CEO Mark Thompson tells CNBC, adding he'd like to have the print edition "survive and thrive as long as it can," but admitted it might face an expiration date. "We'll decide that simply on the economics. "There may come a point when the economics of [the print paper] no longer make sense for us."
CHINESE TOURISTS OPEN WALLETS. Bloomberg reports Chinese tourists “are taking over the Earth, out-shopping, out-spending and out-eating everyone else.” China already accounts for more than a fifth of all the money spent by outbound tourists --- twice as much as the next-biggest spender, the U.S. --- and the Chinese have barely begun, points out Bloomberg.
VOTERS DON’T TRUST D.C. WITH TAX DOLLARS. Though Congress and the president continue to introduce bills with increasingly more spending, most voters, including those who want a more hands-on government, don’t trust that taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely, according to a Rasmussen Reports national survey. It finds that just 10 percent of likely U.S. voters think the government spends taxpayers’ money wisely and carefully, while 81 percent think it doesn't.
LAYOFFS AT VANITY FAIR. One of Radhika Jones' first tasks as editor of Vanity Fair was overseeing a round of layoffs that trimmed the magazine's print-focused editorial staff. There were also cuts at another Condé Nast title, Glamour. “Vanity Fair and Glamour are taking the first steps in reshaping their teams to reflect the new editorial directions of the brands — with new additions and initiatives to be announced shortly," says a Condé Nast spokesman.
NO MORE ‘HAPPY MEAL’ CHEESEBURGERS. McDonald’s Corp. is removing cheeseburgers from its Happy Meal menus as it responds to healthier eating. All Happy Meals advertised on U.S. menus will be 600 calories or less by June. However, McDonald’s classic cheeseburger will still be available if a customer requests it.
NORTH KOREAN LEADER SEEKS TO UNIFY. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's long-term goal is to reunify the divided Korean Peninsula under his totalitarian government, Adm. Harry Harris Jr., the senior U.S. Navy officer overseeing military operations in the Pacific, tells lawmakers, reports the Associated Press.
SOARING INFLATION AT DISNEYLAND. Least expensive annual pass at the Anaheim, Calif. park now costs a whopping $729, up from $619. A ticket for regular-demand days rises to $117, up from $110.
