Let Naval veterans and the tiny proportion of people who watch these airshows pay the cost. Grotesquely expensive entertainment is NOT a function of the federal government. Perhaps every three years or so, the AF could commission another Top Gun" flick that could pay for itself AND boost morale.
I have seen the Blue Angels exactly ONCE. Although I admit what5 tyet were doing looked difficult, it was really6 not all that impressive. The monster scene in Howard the Duck movie, THAT was impressive to watch.
Can the flyboys, Support the Bird.
Literacy of millions of kids is INFINITELY more impressive that stunts by obsolete pilots and their obsolete planes who can be replaced by drones at a twentieth of the cost. We might as well be subsidizing saber fights and proficient use of buggy whips.
Manned fighter aircraft are O B S O L E T E!
The government is in entertainment in a big way.
Who employs more musicians than the US Government?
Nobody.
The cost of the Blue Angels should be considered with the cost of the Aircraft , supporting equipment , fuel, personell and travel subtracted, none of this is avoidable by not having a show.
What you are objecting to is an expensive paint job which will be wasted as soon as we send the aircraft to war. It is a very small purportion of the total and the payback is an enormous intangible that we would miss badly.
If the Government fired Big Bird he would get work in the private secrtor with no troubble and would start paying taxes as any giant turkey should.
