A-29 Super Tucano: Fla. job growth potential harmed by misinformation

The State of Florida continues to work hard to diminish economic impacts resulting from the end of NASA's space shuttle program, particularly devastating to the Space Coast. It is likely that 1,900 Floridians will lose their jobs as the program comes to a close. Florida Senate President

This is a significant setback for the state, which was hit harder than most during the economic downturn. It is also a setback for the individuals whose careers and livelihoods were built around the shuttle program. I reported recently on the successes of state and local agencies recruiting and attracting new aerospace jobs to our region -- more than 1,000 high-quality jobs in the past year from several different private employers.

Today, I want to call your attention to another important opportunity for Florida: Assembling aircraft for the U.S. Air Force's Light Air Support (LAS) mission in Afghanistan. Nevada-based Sierra Nevada Corporation and Brazil's Embraer are jointly bidding on this contract, and if they win, they will build their planes in Jacksonville, creating exactly the type of high-quality engineering and technical positions we so urgently need.

However, Florida risks losing this opportunity due to misinformation and an attempt by the competition to spin the Air Force's choice as either "buying American" or sending the business abroad.

The Wichita Eagle (hometown paper to the competition) editorialized May 1 that "the Air Force should favor Hawker Beechcraft, and not Brazil's Embraer," saying "the job of building light attack planes should go to Hawker because it can provide far more jobs to Americans ...than its foreign competitor."

That argument is simply incorrect. This contract will immediately support the creation of at least 50 new jobs in Jacksonville and will help support at least 1,200 more jobs across America. Some 60 U.S. companies from 19 states will supply components that will go into the Embraer aircraft, the A-29 Super Tucano, or services related to the LAS contract.

Equally significant is the fact that Embraer has a long and growing presence in the U.S. The company's North American headquarters is in Fort Lauderdale, and the company just opened a new executive jet production facility in Melbourne that is creating 200 new jobs. Beyond its presence here, Embraer supports U.S. economic growth and job creation as a significant consumer of American exports. It sources a majority of its component parts -- across all business lines -- from the U.S., supporting more than 7,000 American jobs. Hawker Beechcraft, on the other hand, has recently closed U.S. facilities and shifted some of its production and jobs to Mexico.

Misinformation should not be tolerated. Florida's public officials and citizens alike need to stand up and make sure the only selection criteria used by the U.S. Air Force are what is best for our military service members and taxpayers.

Mike Haridopolos, a Merritt Island Republican, represents parts of Brevard, Indian River, Osceola, and St. Lucie counties. His district is within the Space Coast on Florida's east coast. His term as Senate president continues through 2012.

stand up to this POS POTUS who had NO RIGHT to dump our space program and instruct NASA to divert money to “mostly Muslim countries”

This is just another indication our POS POTUS is a Muslim impostor/traitor who is doing everything in his power to destroy this country. From the EPA to the unconsititutional attack on Libya, Obama is engaging in obvious and continuous attacks to weaken America

Half of the fools in this country are still trying to figure out if Obama is a socialist!

Paddles, you have it exactly right.

This is all a smokescreen as Hawker Beech — largely a Canadian company — foists this sham on the taxpayers. Then to add insult to injury, they’ll end up moving jobs to Mexico, wait & see.

All of this misinformation stems from a crony capitalism cabal of union members and politicians.

Remember that not so long ago, HB was petitioning the State of Louisiana to move production there — just to keep the union in line. Now they’re the ones bad mouthing A-29 & Florida, as if they are Kansas’ savior.

Wow, just wow.

You post: “This is just another indication our POS POTUS is a Muslim impostor/traitor who is doing everything in his power to destroy this country. From the EPA to the unconstitutional attack on Libya, Obama is engaging in obvious and continuous attacks to weaken America

Half of the fools in this country are still trying to figure out if Obama is a socialist! “
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Yep, that too.

We just lost a good friend in that illegal war in Libya - where is the Congress on this. WHY don't they shut it DOWN?

With turning the two ME countries that were cooperating with us re al Queada - Mubarak and Quadaffi consider al Q as deadly enemies and fed us valuable intel on them and captured them whenever possible - he's turning two large countries over to the enemy. Wouldn't they love to once again have Tripoli for the HQ of the new Caliphate!

After seeing where Binnie Boy was holed up in ‘Paukistan’ (Under house arrest, it smells like) and the home video of him huddled under a blanket with a cheap watchcap on his head, flicking through old clip of himself - I'm not swallowing that he was still ‘in charge’ of anything.

Beginning to wonder if we ( as in gang in DC) aren't in league with the al Q leaders who are really running things - and decided Binnie was no longer needed.

A bright note: Even some hardcore ‘bamabots I know have soured on this caper - they dont’ believe binnie is in the sea...too much stuff doesn't add up. They now doubt - some have outright turned on - their new messiah - AND

There's this - this man absolutely wants ‘bamba OUT of the WH - and he has access to hundreds of thousands of black business men across the country. He predicts that ‘bamba is going to lose 30+ of the black vote.

http://www.breitbart.tv/black-chamber-of-commerce-ceo-blasts-marxist-brownshirt-obama/

He's no longer getting adoration that is the life blood of narcissists. Some are questioning if he won't implode ...

I trust in God. I cannot recall of ONE despot in history that hasn't gone down in flames. May it ever be so. and may it be before he and the chi-town thugs bring this country down any further. (You have freep mail)

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