KABOOM !

I once read someone long ago refer to Newt Gingrich as a “bomb-thrower” and it stuck with me. Because that is exactly what he does. Case in point:

”The union has stopped 200,000,000 passengers from enjoying more reliable air travel to protect 7,000 obsolete jobs. “

KABOOM !

How do you respond to that ? Even the target of this bomb has absolutely no idea what he’s talking about. If Newt thinks anything or anybody can replace 7,000 air traffic controllers in the foreseeable future he’s nuts. I can go with that because I think he is nuts. Most people think he’s rational. Most of the time anyway. There are only around 14,000 controllers in the country and Newt thinks he can replace half of them ? Of course, he didn’t say how or when or in what universe did he ? It’s just another bomb and if anybody bothered to ask for an explanation he’d just throw out another one.

”The problems of the Federal Aviation Administration are symptoms of a union-dominated bureaucracy resisting change. “

KABOOM !

Huh ? “A union-dominated bureaucracy” ? Do you even know what that is ? I don’t. Remember, the FAA is the outfit that imposed its work rules on its unions. They’ve been in effect for 917 days. How can that be “union-dominated” ? And even if the FAA was a “union-dominated bureaucracy”, isn’t Newt pushing that bureaucracy’s plan -- NextGen ? Is NextGen a “symptom” of this horrible ill ? It’s nuts. There’s no logic in his words. Newt doesn’t even make sense. It must be time for another bomb.

”If we implemented a space-based GPS-style air traffic system we would get 40% more air travel with one-half the bureaucrats. “

“GPS-style” ? What is that ? GPS has been out there for years. Virtually all the General Aviation airplanes have it. The only planes that don’t are some of the airliners. I’ve got five bucks that says Newt doesn’t even know this. Now what’s this “40% more air travel with one-half the bureaucrats“ business ? I know, you’re catching on now and realize that Newt strings together a bunch of buzzwords that sound good but don’t actually mean anything. He says in one place “you cut the number of unionized air-traffic controllers by 7,000“ but in another place he says “one-half the bureaucrats .“ Which is it ? Union controllers or bureaucrats ? Those are two different groups, right Newt ? How about the “40% more air travel” ? Hey, I can get you 40% more people through the existing airports. All that takes is bigger airplanes. What’s your idea Newt ?

Below, I’ve provided the quotes I’ve used and the links to them in case you care to read them in context. Let me know if you see any others out there. I’ll be sure to comment on them too. I do, however, have other things to write about than some politician that doesn’t have a clue what he’s talking about.

”One of the projects I’m going to launch — we don’t have a name for it yet — is an air-traffic modernization project... “

”by  Newt Gingrich
05/06/2008

6. Implement a space-based, GPS-style air traffic control system.“

You’ve had the idea for over 6 months and still haven’t come up with a name for it ? Some “idea factory” you are.

Don Brown
March 8, 2009


Newt. Again. (From the New York Times Magazine)

”At our first meeting in November, Gingrich laid out for me his latest preoccupation, which, surprisingly, had nothing to do with stimulus or banking. “One of the projects I’m going to launch — we don’t have a name for it yet — is an air-traffic modernization project,” Gingrich told me excitedly. “You can do a space-based air-traffic-control system with half the current number of air-traffic controllers, increase the amount of air traffic in the northeast by 40 percent, allow point-to-point flights without the controllers having to have highways in the sky, and reduce the amount of aviation fuel by 10 percent. So it’s better for the environment, better for the economy. You have far fewer delays in New York, and by the way, you cut the number of unionized air-traffic controllers by 7,000. “


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My Plea to Republicans: It's Time for Real Change to Avoid Real Disaster


by  Newt Gingrich
05/06/2008

”6. Implement a space-based, GPS-style air traffic control system. The problems of the Federal Aviation Administration are symptoms of a union-dominated bureaucracy resisting change. If we implemented a space-based GPS-style air traffic system we would get 40% more air travel with one-half the bureaucrats. The union has stopped 200,000,000 passengers from enjoying more reliable air travel to protect 7,000 obsolete jobs. This real change would allow the millions of frustrated travelers to have champions in congress trying to help them get places better, safer, faster. “