Not on Principle -- His Objection is to the Amount

Ari Fleishcer, speaking for the President, told reporters Wednesday, "The administration does not oppose some assistance for the airlines, but given the economic facts on the ground we believe that the level of airline assistance recommended by the House and the Senate committees are (sic) excessive." That means that the Administration (the President) doesn't mind giving taxpayer money to airlines; he just doesn't think this is the right time to give away so much.

The House proposal would have funneled $3.2 billion into the amazing shrinking airline industry; the Senate was trying to give away three hundred million dollars more than that.

Fleischer added, "It's important for tax dollars to be used in a way that recognizes any additional burdens that the airlines have incurred as a result of the war, not as a result of previous existing factors in the economy that affected the airlines."

In plain English, Ari is saying that the President thinks that, if the US-led war, per se, were to hurt that particular industry, then certain players in that industry should get paid for their inconvenience; but that the industry's own problems don't merit another taxpayer bail-out.

Fleischer did not mention what other industries should expect taxpayer monies, once the airlines are helped by some 'appropriate' amount; nor did he say if additional monies would be justified, should the war go on longer than some indeterminate amount of time; nor did he mention why an indefinitely-continued overcapacity (tying up assets in unprofitable enterprise), in any industry is a good thing, worthy of taxpayer support and official encouragement.

FMI: www.whitehouse.gov