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The Mark-Up, 07-24-2009
TPMDC's update on the biggest initiatives on Capitol Hill.
- Health Care: After a tumultuous day (and week) it seems as if the Energy and Commerce Committee will continue marking up health care legislation next week. Latest word is that chairman Henry Waxman says he expects to proceed Monday or Tuesday at the latest.
- Appropriations: The House passed appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services. It will lift the ban on federal funding of needle exchange programs.
- Defense Spending: By a vote of 87-7 the Senate passed the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act. Sens. Russel Feingold (D-WI) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) voted with five conservatives against passage.
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Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
It's the Su-30, stupid!
Cornyn's mumble is a lobby-scripted, staff-edited reference the Indian version of the Flanker C. Truly, Cornyn does not know what he is talking about.
In one joint exercise a year or so ago some Indian pilots flying their new Su-20MKI planes "defeated" some US pilots in older F-15's.
This Sukhoi plane does have two engines and is, indeed, a little newer in design and, in the case of the MKI variant, much more recently produced than the F-15.
In the Indian version, the SU-30 has "vectored-thrust", as does the F-22. It did not in its original configuration and does not in most of the aircraft deployed today. As with the F-16, the Su-30 is a good design which has been kept modern and competitive in export markets by constant re-configuration and upgrade.
The F-22 is not competitive in any sense of the word: not in war, not in exercises, not in markets. It is a costly status good and, for the GOP, a "stimulus program".
July 24, 2009 8:01 PM | Reply | Permalink