Maine's version of Battleship
By Wally Edge
Maine's version of Battleship
I always liked that game Battleship, a guessing game where two players try to sink each others ships. Well, it seems Maine has a real life version at BIW.
There is the DDG51 and the DDG 1000, with Tom Allen on one side and Susan Collins on the other. It looked as though the DDG51 was leading in the most recent round, when the Navy announced that they had decided to abandon the DDG1000 in favor of the DDG51.
Not so fast.
We now learn that they will not be abandoning the DDG1000 after all, at least not yet. Senator Collins office announced on Monday that the Navy has reversed its decision and will now build a DDG1000, and continue the DDG51.
BIW is happy - more ships equals more jobs.
The Senate has funded the bill, but the House version does not contain funding at this time.
Congressman Allen thinks that the Navy really wants the DDG51 and that DDG1000 reversal is about political pressure, not what the Navy really needs.
However, this game of battleship is not a game. It's about jobs. Good jobs. My guess is that most Mainers just want our politicians to get the ships built here in Maine. It doesn't really matter if it is the DDG51 or the XQZ one million.
So, put the game away. Call a truce on this issue and do whatever it takes to work as a congressional team to get the best deal for BIW and more than 5000 workers.
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Recent Press Releases
- Oct 27 2008
Syndicate
Tom Allen has proven that he
Tom Allen has proven that he does not give two shakes about BIW's 5000 workers time and time again. His comments further reflect this.
BIW - Union Fools
For the BIW Union Hall to keep Tom Allen's name out front while he continues to TORPEDO their current and future jobs...
...is Foolish
About more than Jobs
This is about more than jobs. It's about national security as well as military industrial workforce stability.
The Navy has said for two years that it wants the DDG1000. Based not on jobs but on what it needs in a surface combatant for the 21st Century.
The Navy reversed itself ONLY after the House came up empty on funding the ship.
Tom Allen supported the DDG 1000 and reversed himself ONLY after the Navy did -- realizing that the blame was going to fall squarely on his shoulders.
Mississippi got what it needed. Why? Because it has a representative looking after Ingalls's needs.
Now that the Secretary of Defense has stepped in and declared that yes, the Navy wants the DDG 1000, and knowing that the Senate has funded such a ship but the House has not, Tom Allen is basically saying:"Whatever."
Susan Collins was undaunted and persistent. If Congress ends up funding this ship it will be entirely due to Susan Collins. If Congress ends up not funding it, Tom Allen will be to blame. She did her part and then some. And he's done... what, exactly?
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