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December 04, 2005
Take my senator, please!
It is time for U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma) to leave the U.S. Senate.
This opinion may be surprising to some people because the Dodo is technically a member of Inhofe’s political party, and Inhofe represent the Dodo’s state.
So what is it about Inhofe that irks the Dodo? Oh, where to begin, where to begin?
First, let’s begin with Inhofe’s recent hypocrisy.
A month ago Sen. Inhofe made the following statement pertaining to his defeated amendment to the Budget Reconciliation Bill (S.1932):
This very simple amendment serves as a certain means for limiting federal spending and today we came close to victory. We are only 19 Senators short of limiting the government's out of control spending and I am confident that with the public's help we will get those additional votes soon. [Quote Source]
Inhofe says that he wants to limit federal spending, and yet he criticizes any attempt to eliminate his own pork spending. You don’t have to be a liberal or a Democrat in order to admit that Inhofe has spoken with a forked tongue.
Second, Inhofe is promoting the closure of Love Field Airport in Dallas, the home of Southwest Airlines. In a Senate speech that he gave in July 2005, Inhofe said, “The runways of Love Field and DFW are 8 miles apart. To have two major, federally funded airports so close simply doesn't make sense.” [Quote Source]
If Inhofe is so concerned about airports being close together, then why isn’t he fussing about the proximity of Chicago's Midway Airport to Chicago’s O'Hare Airport? Why isn’t he fussing about the proximity of NYC's LaGuardia Airport to NYC’s JFK Airport? Why isn’t he fussing about the proximity of Oakland International Airport to San Francisco International Airport? Is Inhofe trying to shut down any of these other airports? No, he isn’t.
Inhofe’s opposition to Love Field isn’t really due to its proximity to DFW. The real reason for Inhofe’s opposition is because there is a movement underway in Congress (H.R.2646, S.1424) to have Congress repeal the Wright Amendment, which is prohibiting Southwest Airlines from offering flights from Love Field to most states.
As of now, Southwest Airlines can offer flights from Love Field to only 9 states (Texas being one of them). Missouri was recently added to the approved states, with Sen. Inhofe objecting to the addition. Meanwhile, American Airlines can offer nationwide services from DFW to any state in the USA.
This business arrangement gives American Airlines a virtual monopoly on flights to and from Dallas. As a result, American Airlines can charge higher rates than it could if the airline had any real competition.
If the Wright Amendment were repealed, then Southwest Airlines would be able to compete in the market that American Airlines now dominates.
Of course American Airlines doesn’t want the Wright Amendment to be repealed. So why is Inhofe opposed to the repeal?
The answer is simple. American Airlines operates a maintenance facility in Inhofe’s hometown of Tulsa and, therefore, is a major employer in that city. Like any career politician, Inhofe will support any party that will support his future bid for reelection.
In a letter to the editor of the Dallas Morning News, Tim Reed of Dallas wrote the following:
Does anyone catch the contradictions of Texas Republicans supporting an anti-competitive law that, for 25 years, has inserted big government into North Texans' air travel decisions? This is the party that screams for more competition and less government interference, yet the bottom line is that American Airlines contributes more money to these "leaders" and they dither. Do we have any honest leaders left, or are they all shills and hacks for various interests?
Although Sen. Inhofe isn’t a Texan, Mr. Reed’s question pertains to Sen. Inhofe, too. Is Sen. Inhofe a Republican who supports a free market, or is he just an errand boy for American Airlines?
Perhaps Inhofe is one of the people whom Republican leader Dick Armey had in mind when Armey wrote, “Today, with Republicans controlling both the legislative and executive branches of the federal government, there is a widening credibility gap between their political rhetoric and their public policies.”[Quote Source]
Sen. James Inhofe is one of the reasons why so many registered Republicans are growing disenchanted with the Republican Party. Certainly the citizens of Oklahoma can elect a better person to replace Inhofe in the U.S. Senate. Perhaps in 2008 they will.
Posted by Dodo David at December 4, 2005 05:43 PM
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Comments
Just another fine example for term limits. There are so many more just like him on both sides of the isle.
Posted by: jreid at December 4, 2005 07:55 PM
What a great and timely column. I have been a lifelong Republican, but have recently begun to question my allegiance to the party as a whole based on the hypocritical behavior of certain Republicans who appear to have been "paid" to simply pitch their beliefs and the interests of their own constituents into the ditch.
You mention the Wright Amendment (the repeal of which is advocated by dozens of newpapers, numerous conservative think tanks and independent public policy organizations... and over 80% of North Texas residents)what other Republicans are behaving in a bizarre manner on this issue:
The #1 position belongs to Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX). Why would she oppose repeal? Well, let's see... her husband is the DFW Airport Board's attorney, a position he has held for nearly 40 years. Vinson & Elkins, the lawfirm engaged by the DFW Airport Board, is Sen. Hutchison's largest source of political contributions.
As illustrated by the following document, this sort of murky self-dealing is providing all sorts of grist to the liberals. To be honest, I don't blame them. Give me a fiscal conservative with integrity, and I'll be there in a heartbeat.
Pseudo-Republicans like Senators Inhofe and Hutchison are doing incalculable damage to the Republican Party... they're primary goals seem to be self-preservation and they take that to the extreme, causing huge economic damage to the voters they supposedly represent.
See this document (yes, posted at a liberal website) for further details on Sen. Hutchison's odd relationship to the Wright Amendment:
Posted by: Dave T. at December 4, 2005 10:39 PM
Nice post, David! Solid, interesting and well-thought out!
Posted by: Pat Curley at December 5, 2005 01:13 PM
Paging Mr. J.C. Watts, Mr. J.C. Watts! Please report back to Oklahoma, they need a new Republican Senator.
I guess most of the Oklahoma flying public doesn't know how the Inhofe vendetta against SW Airlines affects them.
Posted by: joe-6-pack at December 5, 2005 02:01 PM