Bush to Land at Seattle's Boeing Field, One of 69 Airports on Chopping Blo

WASHINGTON, U.S. Newswire

Air Force One will be cleared to land at Seattle's Boeing Field later today by experienced, highly-skilled federal air traffic controllers. But if President Bush has his way in Congress next month, Boeing Field will be contracted out to the lowest bidder, jeopardizing safety and costing taxpayers more. ---

"Our controllers take great pride and responsibility in directing Air Force One to a safe landing. But it's important for the President to realize that if his administration has its way, the next time he lands at Boeing Field, the Federal Aviation Administration controllers who will ensure his safe landing today - and 200,000 other takeoffs and landings this year - will be replaced by controllers hired by private companies whose bottom line is profit, not safety.

"Of the 69 air traffic control towers on the White House chopping block, 11 rank among the 50 busiest airports in the country, according to FAA statistics. Boeing Tower is the 42nd busiest in the country. For those in the administration that claim the 69 towers in question are rural, low-activity, visual flight rules facilities, let me inform the President that he will be getting a wonderful view of the very urban area around Seattle today on his approach to Boeing Field. ---

"Large majorities in both houses of Congress had previously voted against any effort to privatize air traffic control. Why the White House undermined Congressional will and the will of the American public remains a mystery. ---

Privatize bush It’s a Good Thing

Privatization of ATC=Profits for Rethug supporters
Profits for Rethug supporters=More money for Rethugs
More money for Rethugs=Money to slime Dems and steal elections

Therefore:
Privatization of ATC=Money to slime Dems and steal elections

I totally agree. Controllers have tough jobs and do them well. They deserve public support and federal employment.

None of us at DU are knowledgeable on every topic. And, this was a new one to me. I am convinced that the Republicans want to privatize every single government entity. As the first poster says, it's more money for them to demonize the Dems...and, continue on their quest to dominate and suppress the working people in this country. Eventually, they want...and, anticipate no opposition! God forbid, when that day finally arrives!

When will America wake up to this madness?

One serious problem with air traffic control privatization is the almost inevitable imposition of "user fees," to recover the costs of the privatized service. Pilots (and safety experts) strenuously object to such fees. Instead, we want to pay through universal aviation fuel taxes, just as highway users do. Why? Because, if it costs money to get a weather briefing, or to talk to an air traffic controller, or to attend a safety seminar, we'll do less of those things to save money. And that obviously compromises safety.

So that's one major reason why the vast majority of pilots side with controllers, against privatization.

I should say that pilots were duped in the last presidential election. Al Gore had what I thought was the stronger position paper, published in the big private pilot magazine (circulation 400,000), compared to George W. Bush. (Read very carefully, Bush's did not rule out air traffic control privatization or user fees.) Yet the pilot association leadership dropped hints in its editorials that Bush would be the better choice, apparently since he was a (sometime AWOL) pilot. Guess they got burned.