THAT’S DEBATABLE:

The Air Force recently awarded a $40 billion aircraft contract to the France-based Airbus consortium, bypassing Chicago-based Boeing. The move has outraged some in Congress because they believe it will ship jobs and money overseas. Should Congress step in and try to block the contract?

As I’ve said with earmarks, spending of your tax dollars should be competitively bid and contracts awarded on the basis of those bid proposals comparing the cost, quality and the abilities of the bidders. We should not overturn such a competitively awarded contract and replace it with the bidder who promises to do most of the work in the districts of powerful members of Congress, ignoring what will provide the military with what they need and taxpayers with the lowest cost.

Nonetheless, under the rules set up, Boeing has the right to appeal, and they are doing that. Let’s let the process play out the way it is supposed to.

Rep. John Campbell

(R-Newport Beach)

I am deeply disturbed by the decision to give a multibillion dollar aerospace contract to our competitors in Europe. They will use the money to modernize their aerospace infrastructure at our expense. The political machinations by grandstanders like Sen. John McCain have already done great damage. The American aerospace worker has every reason to be mad as hell, considering thousands of jobs will now be shipped overseas.

I’m not sure whether the infusion of more Congressional intervention will do any good, but maybe we could try.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher