Suburban St. Louisans and Cheney's A-12 cancellation

[gulliver]

As a St. Louis Democrat and former McDonnell Douglas employee, I wonder why I never see anything about Cheney's cancellation of the A-12 Avenger program.

He cancelled the program in January, 1991, causing a massive round of layoffs at McDonnell Douglas. The company went downhill from there, eventually ending up as part of Boeing. McDonnell Douglas was probably the biggest employer in St. Louis at the time, and a crown jewel for the city.

Cheney cancelled the A-12 program for cost overruns and other reasons. But that answer isn't good enough. The program started under Reagan in 1986, and it kept going under Bush Sr. for two more years until its cancellation by Cheney.

Why doesn't Cheney face a political cost for this in Missouri? His party was responsible for the Pentagon procurement process for the previous 10 years. Then Cheney abruptly cancelled the program throwing thousands out of their jobs and deeply wounding McDonnell Douglas, a pride and joy of St. Louis.

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/a-12.htm

[Wickerman]

1. Sounds like Letter to the Editor time

you've got a lot to work with and make an excellent point.

It irritates me to no end that Cheney and Rummy were considered extremist and spooky in previous Republican terms but no one media ever seems to be pressed tro bring it up.

[gulliver]

2. One reason I don't do an LTTE on this.

I have to make a living in this town and may need to work for Boeing in the future. An LTTE in the Post Dispatch doesn't strike me as worth the risk. It wouldn't be read by that many people anyway.

An ad would be better, and I would gladly help fund it. I bring it up here because I'm hoping someone will see it as a good ad idea.

[gulliver]

3. OK. I sent it as an LTTE to the Post Dispatch

If Will Ferrell and the Dixie Chicks can stand up and be counted, I guess I can too.

I wonder if they will print it. I don't subscribe.

[Wickerman]

5. You are the man!

That is some great courage!

Let me buy you a beer!

:beer:
:beer:
:beer:
:beer:
:beer:
:beer:

or two :P

[lcooksey]

4. Violation of contracting rules

Cheney's cancellation of that contract violated the rules that existed at that time, and resulted in a huge lawsuit. Last I heard it was still being litigated. It was very costly to McDonnell Douglas and it's been very costly to the government as well.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/a-12.htm