Will Obama's Cancellation of a Missile Shield Hurt Huntsville?

It's probably bad news for Parker Griffith (4.00 / 1)

... just because of the headlines it will generate and the fact that he implied during the campaign that he would be able to look out for NA's interests in Washington -- missile defense always entered into that discussion. But, as you point out, when one door closes another usually opens. Some of the players will be able to redirect their efforts and take advantage of the new opportunity, although there will almost certainly be some losers as well. Long term, I don't think it will hurt the local economy.

And, imho, the whole program was a boondoggle to start with.

Work harder and work smarter!

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by: mooncat @ Thu Sep 17, 2009 at 09:40:21 AM CDT

I agree on the boondoggle (4.00 / 1)

Why spend billions on a "missile shield" that may or may not ever be deployed to "protect" us from nuclear weapons?

Hello!  A missile comes with a return address.  We know exactly who sent that little gift and another country would have to be filled with idiots if they thought we wouldn't respond.

No, security experts (who aren't dependent on missile defense funding for their paychecks) have warned for years that the real danger comes from someone sneaking a weapon in through a port or leaving it a checked suitcase at Union Station, etc. etc.  

But we haven't spent nearly the money to secure ourselves from that threat because the Defense Department and military contractors have cleverly spread all this missile defense work throughout Congressional districts.

I'm impressed that President Obama has the balls to put some brakes on the program.

I'm not short.  I'm fun size!!

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by: countrycat @ Thu Sep 17, 2009 at 14:25:30 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Can't you just see the anti Griffith gop ads? (4.00 / 3)

"Thanks to Democrat Parker Griffith we lost the Missle Defense Program."
 

The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dreams shall never die.~Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D. MA)

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by: Redeye @ Thu Sep 17, 2009 at 18:35:20 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Yep. (4.00 / 1)

And they be deterred at all by Griffith's trash talk about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Work harder and work smarter!

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by: mooncat @ Fri Sep 18, 2009 at 07:55:24 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

All those people at Jeff Sessions' healthcare town hall and meeting, on TeeVee and in the newspapers (4.00 / 1)

screaming abouthow they hated the government and government programs probably didn't help either.

The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dreams shall never die.~Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D. MA)

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by: Redeye @ Mon Sep 21, 2009 at 10:13:49 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Town hallers conveniently forgot (0.00 / 0)

... about their government funded jobs, government pensions and so forth in North Alabama.  I spoke with a woman this morning who said her husband had worked for the Army for 44 years and he "thought that was long enough to give the government."  I understand his desire to retire, but wanted to point out that he didn't give the government anything -- he sold them his time and talent and was paid very well for it.  Not to mention that he'll have a nice retirement benefit.

Work harder and work smarter!

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by: mooncat @ Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 11:14:40 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I hope, damn idealist I am (4.00 / 2)

I hope that politicians make decisions like this missile defence based on the real threats, not on economic help for any place's economy. It is scary to think otherwise.

There are inventions and engineering developments from aerospace research and development useful for peaceful and civilian use. That is a way to help our local economy.

Qui bibit, dormit; qui dormit, non peccat; qui non peccat, sanctus est; ergo qui bibit sanctus est.

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by: SaintSatinStain @ Sun Sep 20, 2009 at 14:43:54 PM CDT

The Toys of Men (4.00 / 1)

who have unhappy home lives and fantastical paranoid illusion.

They create the nightmare world they fear.

The next GOP president (which I wish we wouldn't see again in my lifetime) will probably the crank this sucker right back up on day one.

Money may be the Mother's milk of politics, but it is the arsenic of Democracy.

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by: Dardango @ Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 10:29:47 AM CDT

Toys? (0.00 / 0)

Or pork for the military industrial complex?  Anyway, I agree completely about the "unhappy home lives and fantastical paranoid illusion."  Well put.

Work harder and work smarter!

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by: mooncat @ Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 11:10:14 AM CDT

[ Parent ]