Maggie's Farm

We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

Our Recent Essays Behind the Front Page

Much Sorry with Delays
Birth, Death and All That Stuff in Between
How to Honor Labor Day, Every Day
My Yom Kippur Miracle (Repost from 2010)
Good intro to fly casting
Peach update, with pie
NYC update
Easy for you to say: To the elites on mass immigration
For NYC on 9/11, Sailors' Snug Harbor
Pickled Peaches
Water Shoes
Labor Costs in U.S.
Your "identity"
Good news about The Great Courses
Uses of Hot Pepper Jelly/Sauce, Chutneys, and Jams
A Saturday Drive to Litchfield County, CT
How to Pick a Kayak
Civilized: Fruit forks and knives
Loads of kayaking on Cape Cod
Psychology Experiments' Questionable Results

Categories


All categories

Quicksearch

Links

Blog Administration

Open login screen

RSS Readers

Add to Google

Subscribe with Bloglines

Friday, June 4. 2010

US Defense Manufacturing Sent To Turkey

A reader of Maggie’s Farm manufactures spare parts for military applications.  He emails, posted here with his permission, about our Defense Department preferring Turkish firms above his, “in a way that is rather unique in their dealings with other (NATO) countries.”



By that I mean, Turkey is the only country that they give these orders to, besides maybe an occasional one to Canada. The reason I know this is that everyday I get emailed to me "notices of unsuccessful bid.


I have been dealing with DLA [Defense Logistics Agency] since I began my business in 1986. I broke every rule in the book in starting my business, with regard to undercapitalization. Somehow, (blessed be the Lord),  we made it this far and enjoy a good relationship with the gov't as our primary customer (75%). 99% of what we make are spare parts for military applications- machine guns, tanks, apvs, land, maritime and a smattering of aircraft parts. There's me (veteran), wife, son (veteran), 3 machinists and 2 welders (1 veteran). We've never received a dime of "stimulus" money, but it would be nice if the gov't appreciated the value of having domestic sources and not give so damn much of what we quote to the Turks. Every day I get auction notices for small manufacturing companies going down the tubes. How stupid of us to unthinkingly paint ourselves into a corner for the day when we need stuff and countries like Turkey have us over a barrel. Much of what I make involves an investment of tooling. This enables us to supply parts more quickly in the future. How's it going to be when we need crucial spare parts and the tooling is in Ankara, Turkey- then likely a hostile country?


I think what caught Bruce's attention was the reference I made to a letter I got back through my congressman, Pat Tiberi, from the Director of Procurement of DLA. In that letter (which I still have)*, a response to my complaint about all the work that was going (and still is) to Turkey, I was given a wonderfully unvarnished bit of information; that under the "Buy American Act", Turkey is a qualified country. Thank God for the occasional bit of honesty from a bureaucrat! No way you'd ever hear that from an elected official.


I hope you find this educational.


Cordially yours,
Steve Boggs
Boggs & Associates, Inc
Columbus OH 43227
614-237-0600


*Another line I remember was something like this- "Furthermore, it is DoD policy the the Buy American Act does not apply." This blew the mind of a friend who practiced law specializing in federal contracts.



The US is aiding Turkey's "final solution" for Israel.


BTW, Steve's son is a two-tour veteran of Iraq.


Posted by Bruce Kesler at 16:42 | Comments (27) | Trackbacks (0)

Trackbacks
Trackback specific URI for this entry

PingBack
Weblog: www.ruthfullyyours.com
Tracked: Jun 05, 04:58
PingBack
Weblog: www.ruthfullyyours.com
Tracked: Jun 05, 04:58
PingBack
Weblog: www.ruthfullyyours.com
Tracked: Jun 05, 04:59
PingBack
Weblog: www.ruthfullyyours.com
Tracked: Jun 05, 04:59
PingBack
Weblog: www.ruthfullyyours.com
Tracked: Jun 05, 04:59
PingBack
Weblog: www.ruthfullyyours.com
Tracked: Jun 05, 04:59
PingBack
Weblog: www.ruthfullyyours.com
Tracked: Jun 05, 04:59
PingBack
Weblog: www.ruthfullyyours.com
Tracked: Jun 05, 05:00
PingBack
Weblog: www.ruthfullyyours.com
Tracked: Jun 05, 05:00

Comments
Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)

Just to be clear, they get the awards on the same basis as anybody else- lowest bidder. My gripe, and call it sour grapes if you want, is that my company and other American companies like mine, are on "equal footing" with Turkish companies. Of course, given their cost of living, standard of living, etc, is it really "equal footing"? (Who actually bears the true cost, to make the stuff per spec and then ship it over here?, is another good question)

My gripe also is not simply against foreign trade, its the way this undermines and destroys the bedrock of American manufacturing is order to curry favor. I leave it to you to figure out the favor (cough, cough, Incirlik AFB).

Further, my gripe has to do with the way we give stuff away that we can ill afford.
#1 steve boggs on 2010-06-04 18:46 (Reply)
An outrage! I was born a Navy brat, and am just an ignorant civilian myself, but it seems insane to procure ANY parts for our national defense from overseas. Perhaps Great Britain, but I wouldn't trust anybody else. We shouldn't have our technology sent overseas to be manufactured (and copied) by potential competitors if not outright potential hostiles.

Don't even get me started on having most of our hi-tech consumer gadgets and computers made in China...

It does seem to me that in parts of the country with high unemployment, the government is morally obligated not only to award defense contracts to the locals, but also to train labor adequately to make high quality products. Defense work and spending in World War II lifted the United States out of the Great Depression, and it seems criminal not to give defense contracts now to companies that use American workers in America.

I realize many would call me protectionist.

But if we keep sending our highly skilled work overseas to the lowest bidder, what motivation do our high school kids with mechanical and technical aptitude have to learn a trade or skilled manufacturing? If a kid in high school knew there was skilled work they could do upon graduation, I'll bet they would apply themselves to learning how. This is particularly true for the non-academic kids who might not qualify for the services. A kid who was not physically or emotionally fit for combat, but who had technical aptitude and a work ethic might still find their calling in manufacturing. It would be certainly better for the country to train them than vast armies of liberal arts majors who know nothing except how to get a C at their parents' expense whilst partying for four years.

But for whatever reasons, our country prefers to turn everyone into customer service reps of one sort or another. We produce less and less and serve or sell more and more. Crazy.

Rant over...

Hope you get a good contract soon.
#2 retriever (Link) on 2010-06-04 19:15 (Reply)
Selling is producing, mam.
#2.1 Leag on 2010-06-04 19:35 (Reply)
You're right, Leag. Selling is necessary because most of us love to consume. But I was taught growing up that the more you consume and the more you owe, the easier it is to enslave you, or the modern form: silence or numb you politically. I'd rather grow or make what I can and avoid the middleman. Except for the true essentials of life like fancy cameras and computers and cars...:)


You might like this http://www.amazon.com/Other-Greeks-Agrarian-Western-Civilization/dp/0520209354/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275700291&sr=1-1
#2.1.1 retriever (Link) on 2010-06-04 21:28 (Reply)
Thanks for the comment over at my blog, Leag. But I can't reply there (comments function is bolloxed up). God's way of telling me to get out into the garden again and finish the weeding and horseflies be !@#$ed
#2.1.2 retriever (Link) on 2010-06-05 15:00 (Reply)
My pleasure, necessitated because I couldn't post here.

Must be a leprechaun in Msr. Kessler's jeans, methinks.

Curious, I could post at yall's blog.

Hmmm...

Horse flies are a challenge when they be about.
#2.1.2.1 Leag on 2010-06-05 21:19 (Reply)
Leag, or should I say leach, your Comments have appeared here unobstructed.
Your boorishness is evident.
If you don't care for what's here, please go elsewhere that such may be appreciated.
#2.1.2.1.1 Bruce Kesler on 2010-06-05 21:28 (Reply)
Wrrrong again, me boy, but not unexpectedly.

I do appreciate yall's invite but me takes no small pleasure in honesty and yall's lack provides fertile field to plant some little what yall find foreign and unfamiliar.

Try to keep up and do try to remain on topic.

Facts from yall's link belie yall's spin.
#2.1.2.1.1.1 Leag on 2010-06-05 21:53 (Reply)
Leag:
If you insist on being insulting, go or be sent elsewhere.
Your Comments are not additive nor in keeping with this blog's civility.
You've been warned.
#2.1.2.1.1.1.1 Bruce Kesler on 2010-06-05 22:29 (Reply)
Son, did yo mamma drop yall on yall's head?

The article yall link to presents quite opposite view.

Turk Tan considers US is not on board with Turkey;

'The ambassador's comments highlighted the yawning gap between the positions of the Turkish government and that of the American and Israeli administrations, as tensions linger following this week's Gaza flotilla incident.'

And again, same article yall linked;

'At his embassy Friday afternoon, Tan railed against Israel, made broad threats about the Turkish-Israel relationship, and professed deep disappointment with the Obama administration and its handling of the crisis.'
#3 Leag on 2010-06-04 19:27 (Reply)
Bizarro World strikes again.
#3.1 Bruce Kesler on 2010-06-04 19:33 (Reply)
Yall not able to deal with the facts of yall's own links.

Misrepresenting the facts synonymous to fabricating lies, son.

Methinks, yall should stick to a day job, Bruce me boy.
#3.1.1 Leag on 2010-06-05 09:32 (Reply)
If we can't manufacture weapons systems (or any other requirements for out troops) exactly what do you think Americans firms CAN ACTUALLY create anymore?
And why the hell should participate in a technology transfer to Turkey, or any other Islamic country? Unfortunately, that may soon include the UK, or Germany...at least when the US contracts to a technology transfer with Israel, the transfer is not wholly one-way. Some of the most successful software and military technology "start-up" companies in the world over the past 10-20 years are in Israel.
#4 cas on 2010-06-05 11:37 (Reply)
i read the comments, ant am guessing that the disagreement is over whether the turk is speaking from the heart when he criticizes the Obams for actions/nonactions re israel/the palis, or whether he is providing cover for the obams, who need all the fog they can get as the cloclwork renege on the alliance with israel. start with the bunkerbusters interned at diego garcia. No, the fact that he highlighted a critique of USA's hand in the struggle, should be your tell that the critique was ordered up. By whom, Leag, you shoul be asking yoself.

And just look at the pattern --the M.O.

Time after time, we have out crises, and each one has its perps, and each perp gets a desultory dressing-down from Obama & crew.

the cars got the treatment (that the unions deserved but they are off-limits the M.O. --it's a chesty thing), the banks, the brokers, the lenders, the ratings agencies, the health insurance companies, the consumer products conglomerates, the anti-new law Arizonans, BP (and i'm sure soon enough Oxy, the 'other' crooked obama/Kremlin agent oil company) --all execute on delivering the Obams the crises they need in order to lock down swath after swath of the private sector under government, oh excuse me, "The American People's", control.

by the same token, when the Erdogan gov't says 'Obama is not helping us' we can't know for sure that the opposite is true, but that would sure be the way to bet it.
#5 buddy larsen on 2010-06-05 22:54 (Reply)
oh jeez, forgot to edit, sorry for impressionistic typing effort --
#5.1 buddy larsen on 2010-06-05 22:58 (Reply)
BL -

"oh jeez, forgot to edit, sorry"

No need, old friend. Years ago I discovered this amazing invention that -- and I hope you're sitting down -- actually edits the words in real-time! That way, NO later editing, NO mixtakes making you look like you have the IQ of a banana, NO later embarrasssing

"oh jeez, forgot to edit, sorry"

comments! So it both saves time and energy, thereby preventing global warming and/or cooling.

Now, this exciting, revolutionary program will probably cost you a few bucks, just so you're forewarned, but you can bet that you'll later consider it some of the best money you ever spent. Imagine again, if you dare: real-time editing.

It's called "knowing how to type". Perhaps you've heard of it? Because I do this "knowing how to type" stuff, I can actually watch the screen instead of the keyboard, editing as I go along. Sure, it takes a helluva lot of concentration to do both at once, but that's why God invented spaces in between words, to give us time to think.

But, as I said, it would cost a few bucks for one of those home teaching courses. You could try it yourself, I suppose, but where would you start? A, B, C? A, S, D, F? You'd be lost, and, obviously, if it was that easy, you would have done it long before now.

Well, that felt good. Every day I like to better someone's life by clueing them in on some hot new computer program, and I feel like today's work is done.
#5.1.1 Dr. Mercury (Link) on 2010-06-06 12:02 (Reply)
Doc: I never learned to type, having skipped the 8th grade where it was taught.
I stare at the keyboard, and then read the screen after, often failing even then to catch typos.
Please don't pick on those of us not raised without the primary skill objective of being secretaries.
Instead, I've been pleased throughout my business life to be freer to think and innovate and let others type my drafts.
Yes, the personal computer and Internet have changed much of that, and look where that has gotten us!
#5.1.1.1 Bruce Kesler on 2010-06-06 12:42 (Reply)
THANKs, Merc --what a GRATE idea! Now let me return the kindness, with a cool thing i learned some time back. First, make a fist, right or left hand. Now, quickly, zoom it into your nose, nice and briskly!

Wasn't that a hoot? That stinging, disorienting rush of intensity?! Really gets the old metabolism thumping, don't it?

No need to thank me --i enojy hlepnig ohters
#5.1.1.2 buddy larsen on 2010-06-07 12:32 (Reply)
also forgot important item --please prove this by your own search --the Chicago 'free palestine' organization that worked with the Turkish Muslim Brotherhood front organization to arrange the Peace Flotilla, contains (board members?) the personages of William Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn --in whose care the young Obama was polished up for entry into politics.

Ayers, note, of late is using the same MO --criticizing Obama's performance from the left, thus giving him cover on, or from, the right.

Of course,it's always possible that this Obama crit from Ayers is straight and honest and without subterfuge. yessir, it's possible, but is sure aint the way to bet.
#5.2 buddy larsen on 2010-06-05 23:09 (Reply)
Buddy yall never could stay on topic well.

In response to yall's --please prove this by your own search --;

Suggest yall enlist dink to hold yall's hand, Buddy.

How is your hand these days?
#5.2.1 Leag on 2010-06-06 13:35 (Reply)
Buddy, how about yall tell who.

After all, it's yall's fantasy.

Perhaps, yall can attempt a joint effort with Msr. Kessler to stroke up fairy tales.

Hussein0 gets no quarter with me but I don't have to make up fantasies for justification.

But since yall are lettin' the fertilizer fly methinks, i'll join the jollies.

Suppose; the bunker busters are sittin' in Diego Garcia not for reason Hilbillary says but Hussein0 wants them out of reach of missiles Iran can toss into Israel where USA has joint military bases and has bombs safely tucked till time when Israel or USA loads them and takes straight flight path to Iran requiring no notice to Turks.

Hussein0's one sneaky high yeller who most never tells the truth.

We can agree on that.

Si?

Hilbillary most never does, either.

Si?

It's yall's turn again, dead-eye.
#5.3 Leag on 2010-06-06 13:02 (Reply)
LOL --love your droll presentations. Say, have you ever heard of a feller name of Eugenio Pacelli? What do you think of him --did he hurt his own cause, or help it?
#5.3.1 buddy larsen on 2010-06-07 12:40 (Reply)
Buddy, one Eugenio Pacelli became Venerable Pope Pius XII.

Headed for sainthood, suggests to me he did well.

How about Willie Mays?

Do yall think he's greatest MLB center fielder and did he help himself?
#5.3.1.1 Leag on 2010-06-07 13:10 (Reply)
heh --i'd switch to baseball too, if i were you.
#5.3.1.1.1 b ud dy lar sen on 2010-06-08 02:35 (Reply)
Buddy, yall broached the subject and did i get the Pacelli on yall's mind for what, heh?

Methinks, Willie is the greatest but yank i share cafe' with thinks it's some Yankee whose name doesn't jump at moment.

Baseball is man's game and girls don't know how to slide and boys who go head first are girls.

Back to yall's Pacelli but me suspects yall may me none so kind and don't want to get spanked by dinkus.

Conversation would be cathartic and may even help with that hand.
#5.3.1.1.1.1 Leag on 2010-06-08 09:33 (Reply)
well i have to admit, i haven't felt any pressure yet in my life to differintiate the gender of a baseball slide, but as they say, whatever floats yer boat --

Pacelli was to remind you --knowing you are a strong Catholic, that like it or not, there is a huge and permanent controversy there, one that is good for no one and that bids nothing good for anyone, and it is the result of people picking and choosing between when words are more important than actions, or when it suits better for the nonce, the reverse of that, and then back again, as conditions "evolve".

First principles over clan solidarity, is what religion is all about. Ultimately it is too keep us in wintertimes of famines from eating our own or someone else's seedcorn or grandmothers, either in the world or in the mind, physically or metaphorically, always and forever.
#5.3.1.1.1.1.1 buddy larsen on 2010-06-08 15:26 (Reply)
Well buddy, i knew yall had some in ya but for the nonce, i must confess, i didn't know all that before yall so poetically presented.

Silly me and but for the nonce i figured yall wanted to discuss Venerable Pope Pius XII.

I get gettin' down not wanting to eat grandma.

So let's do ball.


Feet first slide is the proper sliding method to any base or plate.

Chicklettes must have a wider baseline allowance tiptoeing around a catcher properly protecting home plate.

I always found the quickest way to the plate was aerialin' feet first through a catcher properly gaurdin' about twelve inches runner side of the plate, and taggin' the plate with feet, legs torso and hands as the catcher was moved from post and sometimes felled.

Once. in a while a good catcher could hold unto a ball under such offence but not often.

Once, a lad tryed it without possessing the ball and lost some teeth when the ball possessed him's mouth.

I use to watch Willie steal bases and plate and picked up some.

He was the greatest center fielder ever to play MLB.
#6 Leag on 2010-06-08 17:33 (Reply)

Add Comment
(Your e-mail will not show in your comment)

By commenting on this site you agree to the site rules listed here. Email
addresses will not be displayed and will only be used for email notifications.

Quick reference guide: [i] italics [/i], [b] bold [/b], [u] underline [/u],
[url] (web address) [/url]. More tips here.

Enclosing asterisks marks text as bold (*word*), underscore are made via _word_.
E-Mail addresses will not be displayed and will only be used for E-Mail notifications.

To prevent automated Bots from commentspamming, please enter the string you see in the image below in the appropriate input box. Your comment will only be submitted if the strings match. Please ensure that your browser supports and accepts cookies, or your comment cannot be verified correctly.
CAPTCHA

BBCode format allowed
 
 
A Chris Southern Consulting website.