McCain Hates Pilots

[AA717driver]

No politician gives a rat's a$$ about anyone who doesn't write them checks with 6-figures or more on them.

All the "name" players think we're bumpkins who barely survive the day without slipping and falling in a puddle of our own drool.

That McCain is still in office after the Keating scandal (thousands in AZ lost their savings over that and he STILL gets elected) is an example of why this country will continue to slide into the toilet.

No politician cares about pilots. Maybe if the rest of the unions in the country had to work under the RLA, things would be different. TC

 

[Cobra]

First off, don't forget that McCain is one of the "KEATING FIVE".

Second, Don't forget that he is about as Moderate as Republicans come these days.

Remember when Republicans stood for things like keeping the Government out of your Personal Liberties and Fiscal Responsibility?
I do.
Now they are supporting the most oppressive form of government in America since the Pilgrims. They want to tell you who you can marry, who's child you should have, what you should be able to see on TV (gasp! a Nipple!) (Yes, it's Colin Powell's son at the helm of the FCC), and even if you should be allowed to die (Terry Shivo).
Look the national debt. So high and getting deeper than ever. Only a couple of years since (don't say it!) Bill Clinton balanced the budget. Where is the fiscal resposibility?

Remember when they set aside public lands to be National Parks and that reinforcing the National Infastructure was important?

Remember when they said that the establishement of a military-industrial compelx was something to be feared? (Do a search of Eisenhower's speeches and compare/contrast to the influence that Halliburton, etc... have)

Remember when the President who sent thousands to their death in foreign combat actually showed up for their service obligation?

Remember when the people in charge actually had a concept of what it is to be a soldier. Rumsfeld - Never Served. Cheney - (six?) deferrments.
W., the functional retard who recieved the No-Cavities at award from the dentist while keeping Texas safe from the Viet-Cong.

Any servicemen who think that having a Big Shot Daddy won't get you the Elvis treatment, feel free to tell me that not showing up for your service is a quality you look for in a leader.
By the way, the Connecticut born and raised, New England Prep School/Yale/Harvard Cheerleader is as far from a 'Texan' as I've ever seen..

Do some research on the Presidencies and Writings of Teddy Rooseveldt and Eisenhower, and you will see a reflection of your ideals.

I love the Republican Ideals. These guys are not it. What we currently have is a blend of an Theocracy and Corprocracy.

Seriously, I'm not some conspiricy kook that thinks the moon landing took place on a soundstage, but come on... Halliburton is at record profits while a 'former' executive (stockholder) is the vice president with influence on who gets awarded 'no bid' reconstruction contracts? Oil dynasty Fortunate Son is president while Exxon enjoys the HIGHEST PROFITS OF ANY CORPORATION IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD (while we pay more for gas than ever in the history of the world, by the way). Does anyone with a single breath of sense think these facts aren't related?

Put aside the petty party line politics and look at the facts! Would you sit by and let John Kerry award billion dollar, no-bid, contracts to supply Iraq with Heinz Ketchup?

You hit the nail on the head. Of course the folks who buy into repub fear mongering will label you as a lib and terrorist. Don't lose any sleep over it.

 

[Huck]

Rumsfeld - Never Served.

Small point, but he was a carrier pilot (didn't seem to help him much):

Mr. Rumsfeld attended Princeton University on academic and NROTC scholarships (A.B., 1954) and served in the U.S. Navy (1954-57) as an aviator and flight instructor. In 1957, he transferred to the Ready Reserve and continued his Naval service in flying and administrative assignments as a drilling reservist until 1975. He transferred to the Standby Reserve when he became Secretary of Defense in 1975 and to the Retired Reserve with the rank of Captain in 1989.

 

[727C47]

I flew with a guy who shared a carrier with the senator during the S.East asian hostilities,apparently he wasn't loved by his compatriots. personally, I think he will always be a hero for what he endured as a POW, but he has become a chameleon ,and a puke as a politician, and will never get my vote. Jimmy Webb for president!!! Grunts rule !

 

[Huck]

I like Jim Webb too.

He's got a son in Iraq.

 

[Greaseman]

The irony is why McCain has such disdain for those who fly the American public. He flies in a freakin' shared Beechjet or Hawker or whatever is available when he needs to kite back to D.C.

This luxury travel is completely bi-partisan is nature. The Clintons, Gores, Frists, and Quayles all avoid airline travel using fracs. Nice.

 

[Lear70]

I don't see how he is really busting pilots' (presently) balls in that article. Those were pre-9/11 comments. Unfortunately, he foresaw what was to come. If you really want to give him he!!, wait for a campaign stop near your area, and ask if he would like to fly his family on an airline with disgruntled pilots -- oh wait, that's all of them!

He was a pilot, he knows what it takes. So my guess, that stuff, as 90% of the crap we read, was taken out of context.

Then you've never met and personally talked with the guy about it.

When I was a 727 F/O for EOI in Dallas, I was 1 week on, 1 week off and was commuting up to New York in my off-weeks to fly day charter for extra $$.

Our 135 outfit got one of the DOD contracts to fly the Congressmen and Senators around on the campaign trails that year. (That was the year that Hillary Clinton ran against Congressman Lazio for the New York Senate seat - let me tell you, I flew Lazio around and had several "interesting" experiences with that woman, and they weren't pleasant, but that's a subject for another thread).

We flew McCain around all the time while he was helping other Republican candidates trying to get into office, and that sonuvab*tch was DEFINITELY anti-pilot.

We were going down to some hole-in-the-wall airport in Mississippi (didn't even have an ILS) about 3 days after he made that comment about pilots and he came up to the cockpit during flight and asked us how we were doing.

Normally I wouldn't have said anything but I was p*ssed and, without missing a beat, I said, "Well, if the F/O was making more than $20k a year and I was making more than $50k a year flying a 727, which is what I do with my full-time job, we'd probably be doing better, but then we'd be greedy, right?"

He didn't believe me, thought I was lying about my pay rates, even when I offered to show him copies of my paychecks.

Obviously I didn't fly him again, the owner took all his trips and I was happy to keep flying some of the other, very cool politicians like Lazio, Fred Thompson, etc around.

Long story short (too late), McCain would be one of THE WORST politicians you could have sitting in the White House from an airline labor standpoint.

I think he's personally envious he never made it to the "big time" in aviation and is skewed on reality and doesn't WANT to know the truth.

Just my opinion, FWIW.

 

[flatspin7]

Remember the famous Bush Quote---- "There is no way those over paid dock monkeys will strike on my watch!"

Enough said....

 

[PimpJuice]

McCain just doesn't like pilots anymore. He is probably bitter because he is the only American aviatior that almost sunk an American carrier and that was shot down over Vietnam. With a record like that, would you ever want anyone to know that you were a pilot?:nuts:

Are you frickin kidding me? That is such an assanine statement. This guy paid about as a high a price as any soldier can pay for this country. He actually stayed in Hanoi an extra three years instead of accepting an early out because of who his Dad was. All this to keep faith with his fellow POW's. Do your homework. The fire on the Forrestal was in no way his fault.

How can a President be "anti-pilot". Do you believe this is an actual campaign platform?

 

[SDF2BUF2MCO]

McCain is just another political pimp. In regards to pilot jobs, not only will he sell out pilots he'll sell out any Yankee job (like the majority of politicians will). Keating 5 and McCain/Feingold bill are two great examples of his corruptness.

 

[gkrangers]

Wait...senior United pilots make $342,000?

 

[PimpJuice]

Then you've never met and personally talked with the guy about it.

When I was a 727 F/O for EOI in Dallas, I was 1 week on, 1 week off and was commuting up to New York in my off-weeks to fly day charter for extra $$.

Our 135 outfit got one of the DOD contracts to fly the Congressmen and Senators around on the campaign trails that year. (That was the year that Hillary Clinton ran against Congressman Lazio for the New York Senate seat - let me tell you, I flew Lazio around and had several "interesting" experiences with that woman, and they weren't pleasant, but that's a subject for another thread).

We flew McCain around all the time while he was helping other Republican candidates trying to get into office, and that sonuvab*tch was DEFINITELY anti-pilot.

We were going down to some hole-in-the-wall airport in Mississippi (didn't even have an ILS) about 3 days after he made that comment about pilots and he came up to the cockpit during flight and asked us how we were doing.

Normally I wouldn't have said anything but I was p*ssed and, without missing a beat, I said, "Well, if the F/O was making more than $20k a year and I was making more than $50k a year flying a 727, which is what I do with my full-time job, we'd probably be doing better, but then we'd be greedy, right?"

He didn't believe me, thought I was lying about my pay rates, even when I offered to show him copies of my paychecks.

Obviously I didn't fly him again, the owner took all his trips and I was happy to keep flying some of the other, very cool politicians like Lazio, Fred Thompson, etc around.

Long story short (too late), McCain would be one of THE WORST politicians you could have sitting in the White House from an airline labor standpoint.

I think he's personally envious he never made it to the "big time" in aviation and is skewed on reality and doesn't WANT to know the truth.

Just my opinion, FWIW.[/quote

Are you kidding me? This guy is a U.S. Senator, a strong contendor for the most power position in the world, and as you say "envious he never made it to the "big time" in aviation". Right, I'm sure he's sitting there on his campaign plane thinking about what a failure his life is because he's not the one driving around this lame 727 charter plane.

 

[Gorilla]

I voted Dem. and I will do it again. Ive only known of a few Republicans that have been pro-labor. Im all for keeping Americans working.

Uh, Yeah. Clinton, our Democratic president, pro-labor, all-around good dude, REALLY helped us out at American when we struck. He gave us all of 10 minutes before ordering us back to work with a prepared statement.

The really funny thing is that a computerized message ORDERING us back to work was fired off into our company computer system (DECS) BEFORE Klinton ever took the podium. Our company knew exactly what was going to happen. It still tastes like bitter ashes. If you can't strike, you have no power. Klinton, senators, congressmen, and judges, are/were all owned by AMR, and our ability (at AA at least) to engage in a job action, is non-existent.

Democrats are pro-labor ONLY if your labor group smuggles large satchels of cash to their headquarters.

 

[av8orboy]

I agree with the article in its entirety. What's the issue?

I second that...What's the issue?

He was a pilot, he knows what it takes. So my guess, that stuff, as 90% of the crap we read, was taken out of context.

"What it takes?.?" NASA taught monkeys to fly.

 

[jj21211]

Well said Hamburger. Theres no shortage of attacks on anyone making over 30,000 a year. (considered RICH by dems). Its an easy class envy tool to get votes. BTW, FDR was a Democrat, but with nothing in common w/ present Dems.

 

[apache]

I can't really buy the idea that McCain is envious of pilots. The only greater ego booster than being a us senator would be making president. Cash, booze, whores, use of corporate america's jet at will............

 

[PCL_128]

I can't really buy the idea that McCain is envious of pilots. The only greater ego booster than being a us senator would be making president. Cash, booze, whores, use of corporate america's jet at will............

I don't think he's envious. I just think he's an ass.

 

[JD2003]

I heard a rumor once that McCain's son flys for American and that they are not exactly on speaking terms.

Can anyone confirm or deny?

 

[PurpleInMEM]

Uh, Yeah. Clinton, our Democratic president, pro-labor, all-around good dude, REALLY helped us out at American when we struck. He gave us all of 10 minutes before ordering us back to work with a prepared statement.

The really funny thing is that a computerized message ORDERING us back to work was fired off into our company computer system (DECS) BEFORE Klinton ever took the podium. Our company knew exactly what was going to happen. It still tastes like bitter ashes. If you can't strike, you have no power. Klinton, senators, congressmen, and judges, are/were all owned by AMR, and our ability (at AA at least) to engage in a job action, is non-existent.

Democrats are pro-labor ONLY if your labor group smuggles large satchels of cash to their headquarters.

I always thought this was because the APA is not an AFL-CIO affiliate union and as such didn't contribute to his campaign. He didn't seem to have a problem letting other airline unions strike during his presidency, just the ones that didn't contribute.

Quite the 'republican' move on his part if you think about it.

 

[viking737]

I heard a rumor once that McCain's son flys for American and that they are not exactly on speaking terms.

Can anyone confirm or deny?

I have heard the same rumour.
There are 2 McCains on the AA seniority list, one is a DFW MD80 capt, one is a New York 777FO.