Though the Boeing C-17 appears to have won a Congressional reprieve, Los Angeles Times business columnist Michael Hiltzik questions whether politicians should keep allocating money to build it. Sen. John McCain, the Obama cabinet and others have questioned whether the military needs more of cargo lifters. Hiltzik writes that plane and those who work on it are impressive, but questions why the Senate alloted $2.5 million to save what amounts to 5,000 jobs in Long Beach. (There are far more jobs related to the program and its suppliers nationwide.)
