More Fall Out from Darleene Druyun?
Is the loss of the new Air Force Tanker contract to French Airbus because of Congressional pressure from Senator McCain? Could be. Darleene Druyun was the contractor from McDonnel Douglas who overpriced a bid on a government contract for USAF Tankers so that the Pentagon would go with her future employer, Boeing. She plead guilty, served 9 months in prison, and had to pay some fines. Boeing paid over $600m in fines. To put that in perspective, the current contract with French EADS is worth over $40 Billion.
$40 billion in American dollars going to the French economy.
John McCain lead the charge on the investigation, and held up several USAF contracts, appointments and nominations as a result. From Perspectives:
Regardless of whether or not she was solely to blame or not (and I can tell you what those inside the procurement mechanism of the Air Force think, but I wont write it here), John McCain is going to pay for this now.
From what I've garnered so far, EADS offered a superior, newer plane, while Boeing rested on their laurels and offered an older model, which the USAF would be the only buyers of, bringing servicing into question.
As the article I read last week says, the rest of the world is now mirroring the old US economy and way of life; do it faster, better, cheaper. And they are beating us at it. Until we decide that innovation is better than the status quo, we will continue to lose billions of dollars.
In a time where reports are resounding that the economy is slowing, it's sad that our own government chooses to pump $40 billion into a foreign nation.
This is also very sad news for Kansas, who will no doubt see job losses.
On the reverse, it's good news for Alabama, who will see job growth.
Michelle Malkin has a round up.
$40 billion in American dollars going to the French economy.
John McCain lead the charge on the investigation, and held up several USAF contracts, appointments and nominations as a result. From Perspectives:
Back in 2004, McCain launched a one-man to crusade to undo the scandal ridden lease for Boeing aerial refueling tankers based on the 767 design. Subsequent congressional investigations showed a systematic failure of the Air Force's procurement process in opting for a lease of the Boeing aircraft that would be more
expensive that purchasing the tankers outright. While Air Force officials blamed one Pentagon official about to start a her new career at Boeing as responsible for swinging the deal to hr new employer, Senator McCain was having none of it.
Regardless of whether or not she was solely to blame or not (and I can tell you what those inside the procurement mechanism of the Air Force think, but I wont write it here), John McCain is going to pay for this now.
From what I've garnered so far, EADS offered a superior, newer plane, while Boeing rested on their laurels and offered an older model, which the USAF would be the only buyers of, bringing servicing into question.
As the article I read last week says, the rest of the world is now mirroring the old US economy and way of life; do it faster, better, cheaper. And they are beating us at it. Until we decide that innovation is better than the status quo, we will continue to lose billions of dollars.
In a time where reports are resounding that the economy is slowing, it's sad that our own government chooses to pump $40 billion into a foreign nation.
This is also very sad news for Kansas, who will no doubt see job losses.
On the reverse, it's good news for Alabama, who will see job growth.
Michelle Malkin has a round up.
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