Congresswomen Moves To Stop Military From Spending $100 Million in NASCAR Endorsements

Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minnesota, has come up with an easy way to say $100 million: end military sponsorships of NASCAR. Most people might be a bit surprised to learn that we are spending $100 million for NASCAR endorsements, but that cost is quite modest when you consider that the military is willing to spend almost $500,000 for a flyover of a closed football stadium.

McCollum wants to bar the endorsement in the 2011 House budget bill.

While most people would find it shocking that our schools are cutting teachers and resources while the military is willing to pay $100 million for race car endorsement. I am not one of those people. As previously noted, I have filled out the form requesting a flyover at this year’s Turley Turkey Bowl. I would now like to add a request for an endorsement of the Turley McLean Bears football team. I am only asking for $1 million a year over the next 10 years — one tenth of the expense of NASCAR.

The National Guard sponsors Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team, the Army sponsors Ryan Newman, and the Air Force sponsors AJ Allmendinger. That leaves the Navy and the Marines open for the Turkey Bowl endorsement.

If my request is refused, I would hope that we could simply end all product or sports endorsements from the military. This appears to be an example of a budget that should be trimmed if it is being wasted in this way.

Source: CNN