Bad day for Boeing

[PCL_128]

I thought that you Obama supporters wanted to be FRIENDS with everybody! Why are you hating on the Frenchies?!

We should be friends with the French. That certainly doesn't mean that we should have our military flying foreign aircraft, however.

And you pop up on seemingly EVERY thread. Do you do anything else but post here?!

Gotta kill the time sitting reserve somehow.

 

[PCL_128]

I'm glad when someone saves me money or speaks out when a program lacks integrity. Love him or hate him, thats what McCain did with the first contract.

Yeah, that's great. McCain worries about a $300 million bridge to nowhere and a few billion on a military tanker contract, but he's a-ok with spending a few trillion on a failed war. Yep, that's fiscal responsibility for ya.

 

[viper548]

John McCain is many things, some positive, some certainly negative. But he most certainly has an outstanding BS detector. I'm glad when someone saves me money or speaks out when a program lacks integrity. Love him or hate him, thats what McCain did with the first contract.

Too bad it wasn't working when Bush decided it was a good idea to invade Iraq

 

[ampropilot2b]

McCain is one of the few politicians in Washington that has some credibility when it comes to foreign/military policy. He was a POW for much of the Vietnam war, he offered his life and certainly health and well-being, fighting for his country. He knows the risks involved in deploying our troops, and understands the "horrors of war" as well or better than anyone in government. You can argue all day long about whether it was the right decision to go to Iraq in the first place. I think it was a mistake. But the choice was made. Some advocate leaving Iraq, simply because it was a bad decision to go in at the start. Thats like turning the radar off and trying to turn around after you decided to go through the storm you should have gone around. Bad move! John McCain has been advocating doing whatever it takes to make the best of the bad situation. Firing Rummy, increasing troops, increasing funding for equipment etc. He knows first hand from Vietnam what it is like to be a soldier/pawn in a half-fought war when the military is fighting with one hand behind its back. We're there, we are committed to making it work.

I don't know whether I'll vote for him or not. But unlike most politicians, I believe he has a lot of character, integrity, and honor. I wish I agreed with more of his policies. Handling Iraq after we invaded has been an example of McCains best leadership. Immigration, maybe not so much...

 

[ampropilot2b]

VIPER548, I agree! Too bad it wasn't working before the war!

 

[HeavyjetDC8]

Agreed, why send money and jobs to the French & Germans.

Buying airplanes in Euros isn't cheap.

I believe that they're priced in dollars.

 

[Reebo]

I don't know whether I'll vote for him or not. But unlike most politicians, I believe he has a lot of character, integrity, and honor. I wish I agreed with more of his policies. Handling Iraq after we invaded has been an example of McCains best leadership. Immigration, maybe not so much...

Really?

http://www.realchange.org/mccain.htm

http://www.nndb.com/group/357/000064165/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keating_Five

 

[the turtle]

Agreed, why send money and jobs to the French & Germans.

Buying airplanes in Euros isn't cheap.

Airbus sells their planes in US dollars

 

[pipe]

I don't care where some of the parts are built, Boeing is an American company and Airbus is not. This is a disgrace. The American military flying around a bunch of French airplanes. Unbelievable.

Where it is built determines where many of the expenses are paid.

Where the company is headquartered determines where the profits wind up.

As much as anything this is probably more of the Iraq tab. You go with us and we'll open up our skies, buy tankers from you, and give you a Hummer in the back alley. (for the mods, I am referring to a 4wd military vehicle. Customarily these are purchased in back alleys)

The only good news is that this will force Boeing to close the 767 line and develop its replacement. With the crutch of a tanker purchase they would have kept making the same old thing forever.

PIPE

 

[FIREMAN]

I drive a Chrysler built by UAW workers. How 'bout you?

When did you buy your Chrysler? At one time it was a German company.

Do you shop at Wal-mart, Target or K-Mart?

Wondering if you really walk the talk.

 

[embraerjetpilot]

You can personally pin this one on John Mccain and George Bush. Northrup Gruman is just a go between so that Airbus can bid for this. It is proof that those two politicians really do not give a ******************** about american jobs. Unless of course, it has to do with the oil industry.

 

[ArmadilloJackal]

Protectionism in the global economy will kill this country. We should buy the best product at the best price. If an American company can't win the contract on its merits, it shouldn't win. Sure I want the American company to win, but because it's the best for our military not just because it's here. It does take the sting out to know that's it's a good thing for the Alabama gulf coast.

 

[Dizel8]

Boeing has this contract in hand, but then the "little" leasing scam happened and that teed off Washington.

 

[PCL_128]

When did you buy your Chrysler? At one time it was a German company.

The one I'm driving now was just leased a couple of months ago. I got another one a few years ago, and I honestly don't know whether it was a German company at the time or not. My only concern was whether it was built by UAW workers. I always check their UAW Approved list before purchasing.

Do you shop at Wal-mart, Target or K-Mart?

Nope. Hate WalMart with a passion, and K-Mart and Target aren't my favorite either. I'm a CostCo fan. The company has a policy of not paying any employee less than $10/hr, and everyone gets health insurance. In other words, it's the polar opposite of WalMart.

 

[FlickerFade]

Air Force Buys French Tanker

http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblog..._KC30_F35s.jpg
Northrop Grumman and EADS have somehow managed to defeat heavy-favorite Boeing in the battle to replace the Air Force's aging fleet of aerial refueling tankers. The initial contract for 80 aircraft is valued at $40 billion, and the service has plans to purchase as many as 100 more at an as yet undetermined cost.
The Northrop KC-30, which is based on the EADS Airbus A-330 passenger jet, had been considered the more capable aircraft. It's bigger, which means it can carry 20 percent more fuel, 20 percent more passengers, and 30 percent more cargo. It can also carry 45,000 pounds more fuel than Boeing's KC-767. But Boeing had pitched the smaller size of the 767 as a feature, rather than a handicap. However, the 767 is at the end of its commercial life. The military would have been the only customer for the airplane had Boeing won the contract, raising concerns about maintenance costs.
The KC-30 will be assembled in Mobile, Alabama, but much of the work will be done in Airbus's facility in Toulouse, France. There had been doubts as to whether the Air Force, and Congress, would award such a massive contract to a French firm, but a thaw in relations following the election of Nicolas Sarkozy may have eased concerns. Also Northrop claims that its aircraft will create 25,000 American jobs.
The Air Force's tanker acquisition program first received national attention in 2001, when Senator John McCain called into question a no-bid contract that would have seen the service lease, rather than buy, 100 tankers from Boeing. Upon further investigation, it became clear that Boeing had offered illegal inducements to Air Force officials in exchange for the contract. The ensuing scandal led to jail sentences for two Boeing officials, including the firm's CFO.
McCain has repeatedly noted his role in exposing the corrupt deal during this year's presidential election.