How about stimulating F-22 production?

The $800 billion stimulus bill signed into law by Barack Obama has cash for glorified golf carts, Joe Biden's money-losing toy train set Amtrak, and even funds for a pig odor study.

But what about the made-in-America and made for America F-22 Raptor?

Here's what Bloomberg wrote just yesterday:

Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed Martin is trying to continue production of the F-22 fighter jet, the most expensive aircraft in U.S. history, as the Obama administration reviews weapons programs for possible cuts.

During the past three weeks, Lockheed bought daily newspaper advertisements that focused on 1,000 companies and 95,000 workers dependent on the project.

"If you're looking for stimulus and to stop the bleeding and job losses, step one is to stabilize the current situation," Larry Lawson, Lockheed’s F-22 program manager, said in an interview. Cutting the F-22 would mean Lockheed and its suppliers "would start laying people off," he said.

Perhaps as many as 3,000 workers in Connecticut alone.

We live in a dangerous world, and in the last few weeks there has been some sabre-rattling in our hemisphere; an increasingly hostile Russia is hinting at basing long-range bombers in Venezuela and Cuba.

Wouldn't it be great to have more F-22s to protect us?

The decision on whether the Defense Department will purchase more F-22 Raptors will be made next month.

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Technorati tags: F-22 defense business economy Lockheed military jobs stimulus connecticut amtrak