Dept of Navy to Be Renamed?

There's a bill being considered by the Senate (not yet presented to the floor), proposed by Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), to rename the Department of the Navy to the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps.

The leadership of the Armed Services Committee have come out against it, and there are 79 Senators for it. Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.), the original sponsor in the House, reports he has 425 co-sponsors. Seems overwhelmingly in favor of the name change.

Against the bill is Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Jim Webb (D-Va.), former Marine and Navy secretary is also against it. There's all kinds of political infighting that Levin, McCain and Webb can do to block it's getting to the floor, or give it a poison pill. Amazing how a few can subvert legislation, not base on the merit of a bill, but on how and where it's placed in some other bill. Good grief.

The argument for the change is that it would honor the Marines by naming them in the title of the department. The argument against is tradition and costs. Moo poo. These guys waste $trillions and they're balking about $500,000 over several years? If it weren't government it could probably be done for a very few $thousand. Good grief.

I'm for honoring the Marines. Same departmental structure, same mission. Change the name.