Bush Hands Out New Jobs...Overseas

[marmar]

from AlterNet's PEEK:



Bush Hands Out New Jobs...Overseas

Posted by Tula Connell, Firedoglake at 11:12 AM on March 20, 2008.

This action is perverse on so many levels, it's hard to know where to begin.




So, Bush's Defense Department gives a massive tanker contract to Northrop Grumman and the European firm EADS. In doing so, it shunned Boeing, which bid on the contract.

This action is perverse on so many levels, it's hard to know where to begin.

In handing out the contract--worth between $40 billion to $100 billion--for the construction of Air Force refueling tankers, the Bush administration claimed that 25,000 jobs would be created in Alabama and other southern states.

That assertion obscures several key points: Far more jobs--44,000--would have been created had Boeing received the contract, with more than 300 suppliers in 40 states benefiting, according to Boeing. At Boeing plants, those jobs would be highly paid and the workers would be members of unions. The 25,000 jobs Bush claims the contract creates involve far lower-paying jobs assembling parts made overseas. And they're not union jobs.

Since he's taken office, many of Bush's attacks on unions have been overt. But far more insidious are moves like this one, that surreptiously undermine the fundamental premise of the union movement: People who work should earn wages that support themselves and their families.

And look who was instrumental to pushing through this un-American deal: the senator from Arizona, John McCain. Time magazine reports McCain wrote letters and pushed the Pentagon to change the bidding process so that EADS's government subsidies could not be considered when deciding to whom to award the contract. This placed Boeing, which receives no subsidies, at a clear disadvantage and conflicts with U.S. trade policy. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/80376/

[AzDar]

1. K & R....

:kick:

[trof]

2. Unless you live in Alabama.

And especially if you're near Mobile.
All the politicians are absolutely over the moon about it.
:shrug:

[crimsonblue]

5. Alabama does NOT need this plant.. but Kansas DESPERATELY did..

This contract was the last hope of saving the Wichita, Kansas economy. Boeing makes up a huge percentage of jobs and money in the local economy, and the loss of this contract means that Boeing may completely abandon Wichita. Just 30 years ago, Wichita was the air capitol of the World and depends greatly on the jobs and stability these contracts bring. Alabama, on the other hand, already has 4 or 5 new factories opening or slated to open. I wish my congressman and politicians here in Kansas were as good of crony friends with Dubya et al as the Alabama politicians are.

[annabanana]

8. Alabama is the home of the GOP farm team.

It is owned lock stock & barrel by the creepiest repug denizens in the country. Where else could a GOVERNOR be railroaded, shackled and imprisoned for being a Democrat...

(Siegelman's paypal button here: http://www.donsiegelman.org/ )

[L. Coyote]

10. U.S. Air Force Selects Northrop Grumman to Provide the New KC-45A Aerial Refueling Tanker

FROM: U.S. Air Force Selects Northrop Grumman to Provide the New KC-45A Aerial Refueling Tanker
Mar-01-08 - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2947419

No politicization of defense spending here. Move along.

Cast of Characters showing up in this research is the same as the Rep. Convicts list
The parallels are obvious. What is the BIG PICTURE here?
Has defense contracting been corrupted at far higher levels than so far revealed?
Does corruption of HUGE defense contracts underlie corruption of Alabama politics?
Does control of state and federal prosecutions in Alabama enable defense corruption?

==============
U.S. Air Force Selects Northrop Grumman to Provide the New KC-45A Aerial Refueling Tanker
http://www.northropgrumman.com /

February 29, 2008—Northrop Grumman announced today that it has been selected by the U.S. Air Force to provide the KC-45A aerial refueling tanker for the KC-135 tanker replacement program. The Air Force’s KC-45A is based on the highly-successful A330 commercial airframe, produced by EADS. Read the News Release:

------
opensecrets.org NORTHROP GRUMMAN (Why does the connection reset when I try to go to opensecrets.org?)
Results: http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp
62 records = Total for this search: $1,306,100.00

5/9/2001 $100,000 2001 President's Dinner/Non-Fed Trust
12/4/2001 $75,000 NRSC/Non-Federal
10/17/2002 $75,000 NRSC/Non-Federal
5/31/2002 $100,000 2002 President's Dinner/Non-Fed Trust
6/12/2002 $80,000 2002 President's Dinner/Non-Fed Trust
6/25/2002 $100,000 2002 President's Dinner/Non-Fed Trust
...

--------
2006 Total Lobbying Expenditures: $16,729,865

NORTHROP GRUMMAN
Client Summary, 2007 Total Lobbying Expenditures: $5,708,100
Barbour, Griffith & Rogers = $240,000 (AT&T, Verizon Lobbyist)
Tucker, Patrick = $120,000
Carter Consulting = $110,000

Client Summary, 2006 Total Lobbying Expenditures: $16,729,865
Campbell, John G = $196,995
Carter Consulting = $120,000
O'Toole, Diane = $120,000
Robison International = $120,000
McBee Strategic Consulting = $120,000
Jackson, Alvin G = $100,000

Client Summary, 2005 Total Lobbying Expenditures: $13,660,000
Pillsbury, Winthrop et al = $220,000
Campbell, John G = $200,000
Tucker, Patrick = $180,000
Wight, Bill = $120,000
O'Toole, Diane = $120,000

Client Summary, 2004 Total Lobbying Expenditures: $12,566,000
Client Summary, 2003 Total Lobbying Expenditures: $10,410,936
Client Summary, 2002 Total Lobbying Expenditures: $11,770,618
Client Summary, 2001 Total Lobbying Expenditures: $12,508,129

========================
Donor name: Campbell, John G
Results: http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp
170 records Total for this search: $156,690
3/14/1995 $10,000 National Republican Senatorial Cmte
3/19/1996 $10,000 National Republican Senatorial Cmte
2/12/1997 $10,000 National Republican Senatorial Cmte
$5,000 Searchlight Leadership Fund
$5,000 Northern Lights PAC
Help America's Leaders
Virginia Leadership PAC
Cmte for a Democratic Majority
Fund for a Conservative Future
Grassroots Victory Fund
Defend America PAC
Hatch, Orrin
Sessions, Jeff
Shelby, Richard C
Riley, Bob
Burns, Conrad
Bush, George W
Stevens, Ted
American Osteopathic Assn
.....

-----------------
RANDY "DUKE" CUNNINGHAM: Top Contributors #3 = Northrop Grumman $74,250
CAREER PROFILE (SINCE 1989)
Top Contributors http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allcontrib.asp

1 Carlyle Group $78,040
2 Lockheed Martin $75,219
3 Northrop Grumman $74,250
4 General Dynamics $69,575
5 Cubic Corp $68,897
6 General Atomics $63,050
14 Titan Corp $42,250
.......

----------------
JERRY LEWIS: Top Contributors #4 = Northrop Grumman $78,250

JERRY LEWIS: CAREER PROFILE (SINCE 1989)
Top Contributors http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allcontrib.asp?

1 General Atomics $87,500
2 United Parcel Service $82,750
3 National Assn of Realtors $82,250
4 Northrop Grumman $78,250
5 Lockheed Martin $76,750
6 Natl Assn/Insurance & Financial Advisors $76,000
7 General Dynamics $63,749
8 National Assn of Home Builders $62,000
9 Boeing Co $57,000
10 AT&T Inc $54,900
11 SAIC Inc $54,250
12 United Technologies $54,000
13 American Medical Assn $52,500
14 PMA Group $51,199
15 L-3 Communications $46,500
16 Raytheon Co $45,500

......
Sens. Shelby, Sessions, = TOP Senate Recipients of Funding From Missile Defense Contractors
http://www.worldpolicy.org/projects/arms/reports/web_appendix.html
Top 15 Senate Recipients of Funding From Missile Defense Contractors, 2001-2006

1 = $204,334 = Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) Member, Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense
.. Sparta, Collazo/Colsa, Boeing, Computer Sciences Corp., Teledyne, Miltec, CSC, Northrop Grumman, SAIC, Digital Fusion, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon

2 = $145,250 = Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) Member, Armed Services Subcommittee on Airland Forces, Chairman, Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, Member, Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
.. Collazo/Colsa, Dynetics, TRW, Orbital Sciences, Lockheed Martin, Teledyne, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, Sparta, Boeing, SAIC

3 = $120,750 = Sen. Christopher Bond (R-MO) Member, Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense

FROM: REPORTS
Tangled Web 2005: A Profile of the Missile Defense and Space Weapons Lobbies by William D. Hartung with Frida Berrigan, Michelle Ciarrocca, and Jonathan Wingo
Appendices

-----------------
opensecrets.org LOBBYING DATABASE Top Spenders #9 Northrop Grumman = $101,390,474
http://www.opensecrets.org/lobbyists/firmsum.asp
LOBBYING DATABASE:
Top Spenders, 1998-2007

#1 = US Chamber of Commerce $357,384,680
#2 = General Electric $153,210,000

#9 = Northrop Grumman $101,390,474

----------------
Air Force explaining tanker decision to Boeing tomorrow
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS - http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_wa_air_force_tankers.html

WASHINGTON -- The Air Force will brief Boeing tomorrow ...

Congressman Norm Dicks accuses the Air Force of "bait and switch" ...

The Air Force says the Airbus-Northrop Grumman plane is the better all-around performer. Defense Secretary Robert Gates stands behind the decision.

The head of Boeing's Integrated Defense Systems unit, Jim Albaugh, says Boeing offered its 767 because the company thought that plane offered the size and flexibility the Air Force wanted. He says Boeing was discouraged from offering a tanker based on the larger 777.

But he says Boeing will protest the decision only if it thinks there was an "irregularity" in the proposal phase.

....

----------------
Northrop Grumman Selected for First Phase of DARPA F6 Next-Generation Wireless Satellite Network
Source: Northrop Grumman Corp. - http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/news.html?d=137667

REDONDO BEACH, Calif., March 5, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded the first phase of a four phase advanced research contract to design and build a cluster of wirelessly interconnected free flying spacecraft.

Awarded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Phase 1 of the Future, Flexible, Fast, Fractionated, Free-Flying, Spacecraft united by Information Exchange (F6) program is a 12-month study of ways to break up a typical monolithic satellite into distributed modules. In Phase 1, Northrop Grumman will develop a satellite-to-satellite wireless network, a distributed command and control system, and network protocols.

Rather than being assembled onto a monolithic bus satellite, components of the F6 are distributed onto separate spacecraft modules. By the end of the first phase, Northrop Grumman will demonstrate essential networking and communications capabilities, will present a preliminary design and will prove the business case for this strategy. An actual flight demonstration composed of multiple satellites will be developed in subsequent phases.

The functionality of a traditional satellite will be reconstituted by a cluster of wirelessly interconnected spacecraft modules that fly in approximately the same orbit while flying freely in space. In this distributed virtual satellite system ........

------------------
Northrop Grumman wins $239M air force weather agency contract
March 03, 2008: 03:53 PM EST - http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/newstex/AFX-0013-23491833.htm

SAN FRANCISCO, Mar. 3, 2008 (Thomson Financial delivered by Newstex) -- Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) Corp. said Monday it has been awarded the U.S. Air Force weather agency systems engineering, management and sustainment (SEMS) II contract, valued at $239 million.

The contract includes a one-year base and four option years.

The SEMS II program provides system support for the Air Force Weather Agency, the largest supplier of weather data for military users worldwide in support of frontline combat operations, mission planning, and routine flight operations, Los Angeles-based Northrop said.

Shares of Northrop rose 4.7% to $82.30. ..............

[whistle]

3. Look, if Bush had encouraged the jobs be created in the U.S. it would have

...made a total fascist take-over in the U.S. far less likely. This is not :sarcasm:

[lpbk2713]

4. Is this why Deadeye Dick went on his little trip?

To iron out the final details that will make BushCo even more money?

Wouldn't surprise me in the least.

[MattSh]

6. Really want to create new jobs in the USA?

Shut down the Department of Defense. Rebuild roads, schools, invest in alternative energy, etc.

As long as there's a DoD, there can no longer be prosperity in the USA.

[marmar]

7. Amen to that....

A war economy is designed to keep millions in poverty....Where else would they find people to ship off to war?

[RB TexLa]

9. No subsidies for Boeing? Oh, yes they get no tax breaks or infrastructure support

or free services from cities they make bid against each other when they look at moving or building a facility. Boeing lost a bid and now wants preferential treatment.

[L. Coyote]

11. Error: you can only recommend threads which were started in the past 24 hours

[Orsino]

12. Bush handjobs, domestically. n/t