On the recordFebruary 1, 2011
It is sad that in America we don't have a GPS system--and just about every western country does--even Mongolia does; Tibet does not--to move forward and modernize our airports. It is important for jobs. It is important for travelers' convenience, but I would say most of all it is important for America's productivity. When people sit and wait on a runway, when planes are delayed or flights canceled, the amount of output that our country loses is enormous. We are losing much more than France or Germany or England because they have these systems. It is about time we put them in. I will make one more point about it. There are some who say, Let's go back to the 2006 level of spending. In 2006, the budget did not have a GPS system. Certainly we have to cut where there is waste, but just an across-the-board, roll-the-clock-back approach doesn't make much sense. Technology advances, the world advances, and we cannot march backward.
