Don't say good things never happen in the US Senate

The first one is that the Senate killed the F22 Raptor airplane program from a current defense bill.

Ya-hoo!

$1,340,000,000.00 of Pentagon-unwanted materiel. The Pentagon didn't want it so that means the US didn't need it.

"Immediately after the vote, Obama told reporters at the White House the Senate's decision would 'better protect our troops.'"

His point was, when we put resources in one place where they are not wanted or needed, we weaken ourselves in other areas where resources are, in fact, required.

And the President is right.

I just hope President Obama gets some serious credit from Republicans and Conservatives for killing this wasteful project and saving this money.

I'm don't have my hopes up.

The 2nd good thing that came out of the Senate today is that Senator Byrd of West Virginia was back in the Senate today. He had been hospitalized with an infection since May 15.

This brings up the fact that, God love him, at 91 years of age, Senator Byrd really needs to step down and let someone younger come in behind him to do the people's business. Sure, he's done a lot of good work, being the longest-serving Senator in the history of the nation.

But the time has come for Senator Byrd to step aside.

We wish him nothing but the best, now and always, to be clear.

Links:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090721/ap_on_go_co/us_defense_spending
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/21/senator-byrd-returns-to-s_n_242051.html