"Rand Simberg" wrote in message


There is nothing in the VSE that intrinsically benefits Lockheed.
You're a conspiratorial idiot.


You're kidding right? No company, except for maybe
Halliburton, has benefited from the war more
than Lockheed. A 'project' that seems to suffer
from the same difficulties in justification as
the Vision. Funny about that, it seems they
decide first, then come up with reasons ...later.

Now Lockheed takes over as the prime contractor
for the Vision. And even gets the much sought after
immigration security contract. When Bush was
governor of Texas, he even tried to get Lockheed to
take over the Welfare dept, of all things.


Lockheed Wins Contract to Build NASA's New Spaceship

By Renae Merle
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, September 1, 2006; Page A01

Lockheed Martin Corp. won a multibillion-dollar contract yesterday
to build a vehicle to replace NASA's space shuttles, put a
human on the moon for the first time since 1972 and be the
precursor to a manned spaceship to Mars.

It was a somewhat unexpected win for Lockheed, the Pentagon's
largest contractor. The other competitor, Northrop Grumman, was
considered the front-runner because along with its subcontractor,
Boeing Co., it has been involved with all of the country's manned
space programs. Lockheed also has had a long history with
NASA, though not entirely positive, and not predominantly
with manned vehicles.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...083101067.html




And more and more

Lockheed Team Ousts Sikorsky
for $6.1B Marine One Contract
Navy Official: 'No Political Influences" in Award
http://www.siteselection.com/ssinsid...t/sf050214.htm


Federal contracts up 86% under Bush; Halliburton rises 600%
Published: Monday June 19, 2006
Top contractor Lockheed got contracts larger than
budget of Congress, Dept. of Interior
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Re...nder_0619.html


Close Friend Of Bush At Center Of Coast Guard Contract Fiasco

Donald "Boysie" Bollinger, Chairman of the Board and Chief
Executive Officer of Bollinger Shipyards, "has been a friend of
George W. Bush for a quarter century." CQ Today reported in
2004 that "Bollinger has known Bush since 1980? and has
twice served as Bush's Louisiana campaign chair. In 2004,
Bollinger became a Bush "Super Ranger" after "bringing
in more than $300,000? for the campaign.

Bollinger Shipyards is part of an emerging scandal over the
costly Coast Guard fleet-building program. Four years ago, the
Coast Guard - "in an astonishing abdication of responsibility"
- handed off the $17 billion program to Lockheed Martin and
Northrop Grumman "to plan, supervise and deliver the new
vessels and helicopters." (The program is now "foundering" as
the estimated cost of the program has ballooned to $24 billion.
Continuing problems have "delayed the arrival of any
new ships or aircraft.")
Bollinger Shipyards is a business partner of the two military
contracting giants
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/12/15/bollinger-bush/

Making Money on Terrorism
William D. Hartung

In fiscal year 2002, the Big Three received a total of more
than $42 billion in Pentagon contracts, of which Lockheed Martin
got $17 billion,
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20040223/hartung




It's called corruption.