Dizel8
Douglas metal
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"From Lou Dobbs 11-29-06
Transcript:
Apparently the Bush administration didn't learn much from its Dubai Port fiasco. Incredibly, it appears the Bush administration is going ahead with a plan to give control of our airlines to foreign investors, despite the fact that the United States Congress has expressly disapproved that idea.
Bill Tucker has the report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL TUCKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Domestic control of our airlines appears to be coming to an end. That, despite overwhelming bipartisan opposition in Congress to a rule change that would give day-to-day operational control to foreign investors.
REP. FRANK LOBIONDO, (R) NEW JERSEY: Aviation is a very critical component of homeland security and of our economy. And I don't think we can afford to do anything which even brings into question that homeland security would not be under complete control of the United States and the United States interest.
TUCKER: Rumors of the imminent change prompted members of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to remind the White House of their opposition in a letter, quote, "... Congress has taken a strong position that a major change to the current law regarding foreign ownership of U.S. airlines should be accomplished only by Congressional action, not unilaterally imposed by the Executive Branch. Making the rule final in the face of bipartisan Congressional opposition would be a very poor start to the 110th Congress..."
The administration says it not only has the right to make the rule change, Congress is making a big deal out of nothing. Yet back in February, the representative of the Department of Transportation conceded the obvious. JEFFREY SHANE, DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION: They would be able to make the commercial decisions that define the shape of the product, the quality of the product, the routes that were flown.
TUCKER: As well as what planes to buy, where they're maintained.
REP. PETER DEFAZIO (D), OREGON: I mean, the national security implications losing control of the Civilian Reserve Air Force fleet, the massive job losses for American pilots, flight attendants and others associated with the airlines, and in all probability dramatic cutbacks in domestic service.
TUCKER: If DOT makes the change, DeFazio and Lobiondo say Congress will override it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TUCKER: Now, we repeatedly called the Transportation Department asking for comment, asking if a rule change will, in fact, be announced soon. The Department had no comment.
Lou, this is all being done as so often it is in the name of free trade. The United States, seeking to gain landing rights in Europe and in London. Amazingly, those European airlines already have landing rights here. We're not denying those right, we're just giving away the airlines to land in Europe.
DOBBS: Well, "we" is a big word. The Bush administration, with its manifest -- what does George Bush -- I mean, straightforward, this administration, do they understand this is an American government, a democracy, a representative government?
It is absolutely insufferable to tolerate this kind of arrogance. Thank goodness that the Congress is standing up. And thank goodness we're going to have some oversight and some checks and balances, we hope, in this new government.
Bill Tucker, thank you very much."
This is great, because NAFTA worked out soo good for America. Oh well, I guess age 65 might soon be the least of our worries.
Transcript:
Apparently the Bush administration didn't learn much from its Dubai Port fiasco. Incredibly, it appears the Bush administration is going ahead with a plan to give control of our airlines to foreign investors, despite the fact that the United States Congress has expressly disapproved that idea.
Bill Tucker has the report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL TUCKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Domestic control of our airlines appears to be coming to an end. That, despite overwhelming bipartisan opposition in Congress to a rule change that would give day-to-day operational control to foreign investors.
REP. FRANK LOBIONDO, (R) NEW JERSEY: Aviation is a very critical component of homeland security and of our economy. And I don't think we can afford to do anything which even brings into question that homeland security would not be under complete control of the United States and the United States interest.
TUCKER: Rumors of the imminent change prompted members of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to remind the White House of their opposition in a letter, quote, "... Congress has taken a strong position that a major change to the current law regarding foreign ownership of U.S. airlines should be accomplished only by Congressional action, not unilaterally imposed by the Executive Branch. Making the rule final in the face of bipartisan Congressional opposition would be a very poor start to the 110th Congress..."
The administration says it not only has the right to make the rule change, Congress is making a big deal out of nothing. Yet back in February, the representative of the Department of Transportation conceded the obvious. JEFFREY SHANE, DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION: They would be able to make the commercial decisions that define the shape of the product, the quality of the product, the routes that were flown.
TUCKER: As well as what planes to buy, where they're maintained.
REP. PETER DEFAZIO (D), OREGON: I mean, the national security implications losing control of the Civilian Reserve Air Force fleet, the massive job losses for American pilots, flight attendants and others associated with the airlines, and in all probability dramatic cutbacks in domestic service.
TUCKER: If DOT makes the change, DeFazio and Lobiondo say Congress will override it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TUCKER: Now, we repeatedly called the Transportation Department asking for comment, asking if a rule change will, in fact, be announced soon. The Department had no comment.
Lou, this is all being done as so often it is in the name of free trade. The United States, seeking to gain landing rights in Europe and in London. Amazingly, those European airlines already have landing rights here. We're not denying those right, we're just giving away the airlines to land in Europe.
DOBBS: Well, "we" is a big word. The Bush administration, with its manifest -- what does George Bush -- I mean, straightforward, this administration, do they understand this is an American government, a democracy, a representative government?
It is absolutely insufferable to tolerate this kind of arrogance. Thank goodness that the Congress is standing up. And thank goodness we're going to have some oversight and some checks and balances, we hope, in this new government.
Bill Tucker, thank you very much."
This is great, because NAFTA worked out soo good for America. Oh well, I guess age 65 might soon be the least of our worries.
