Back on Tippy-Toe, to See If the Coast Is Clear
October 22, 2007
Five Governors Urge "Unbiased" Decision on Tanker
By REUTERS
Filed at 5:06 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Five southern U.S. governors urged President George W. Bush to keep politics out of a $40 billion Air Force tanker competition that will create thousands of jobs for the winning bidder.
Boeing Co is competing against Northrop Grumman Corp and its partner EADS to build a new fleet of mid-air refueling airplanes.
Boeing is heavily backed by lawmakers in Washington state. Hispanic and labor groups last week urged the U.S. government to pick Boeing, arguing that a Boeing contract would result in far more jobs for U.S. workers.
__________________________________________________________________
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it a previous Air Force-Boeing lease deal that landed two Boeing officials in jail and forced then-Air Force Secretary James Roche to resign? Jimmy-boy, we hardly knew ye.
Not all that long ago either, as I recall. Don Rumsfeld probably remembers the waft of scandal as it drifted by his Pentagon door. Not likely for mention when his book comes out.
Turned out the AF could buy cheaper than the lease with which Boeing was trying to screw the public purse and the fly-boys could no way justify so many planes in any case. Now here's Boeing again, headquartered in Chicago instead of Seattle, but just as quasi-criminal in its intent.
It's not a mis-dial to the weather bureau when that male voice comes on the phone and asks if 'the coast is clear.'
Just Boeing, hoping the heat is off and lookin' for another shot at the taxpayer.
* For more in-depth articles by Jim on Current Affairs, check out Opinion-Columns.com