Academic

PUNISHING TEXAS? TRUCK CONTRACT GOES ELSEWHERE: The Army?s action to award the contract to a Wis?

By Glenn Reynolds

PUNISHING TEXAS? TRUCK CONTRACT GOES ELSEWHERE:

The Army’s action to award the contract to a Wisconsin firm ? following a review ordered by Congress’ watchdog Government Accountability Office ? could claim an estimated 3,000 jobs at the Texas plant in suburban Houston, with layoffs beginning later this year.

Coupled with President Barack Obama’s proposal last week to cancel NASA’s $108 billion back-to-the-moon Constellation program, the Houston area could lose more than 10,000 aerospace and manufacturing jobs over the next two years.

Not enough SEIU jobs at stake, I guess.

UPDATE: Reader Dan Peterson writes: “I’m not sure I agree with the notion that P’BO is punishing Texas. Oshkosh’s bid was $400 Million less than BAE and the GAO was correct to place the order with Oshkosh. It also serves to put meat on the bone of the ‘Buy American’ philosophy. BAE is a British concern, even though the trucks have been made in the US. Oshkosh is also a leading supplier of fire trucks as well as other heavy duty vehicles so they are well qualified to handle the order.”

Full post as published by Instapundit.com on February 13, 2010 (boomark / email).