Oh Goodie. I Feel Much Better anout New Orleans Now.

[Typo Lad]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/business/3335685

The Navy has hired Houston-based Halliburton Co. to restore electric power, repair roofs and remove debris at three naval facilities in Mississippi damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

...

Why is no-one up in arms about this?

[Wesley Dodds]

Why is no-one up in arms about this?

Well, I know a few people are, but there's so much to be up in arms about just now that it's kind of getting lost in the sea of raised arms.

Besides, we already know how it's spun -- Hallburton is the only company with the resources and experience to blah blah blah blah blah blah.

[Samurai]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/business/3335685



...

Why is no-one up in arms about this?
Like was said before, Halliburton is one of the largest manufacturing and power companies in the world. There are only 1 or 2 others that come close to rivalling it, and they aren't in the US. When you need a major project done, there are few others you can turn to. And if you did open it up to bidding, it'd require months of time to get bids, analyze whether the smaller bidders could actually accomplish the task, go over the differences in each bid/proposal, etc, etc. You want to wait that long?

[Samurai]

Well, I know a few people are, but there's so much to be up in arms about just now that it's kind of getting lost in the sea of raised arms.

Besides, we already know how it's spun -- Hallburton is the only company with the resources and experience to blah blah blah blah blah blah.
If you don't believe it, name another US company that does the same jobs on the same scale...

[Wesley Dodds]

If you don't believe it, name another US company that does the same jobs on the same scale...

Well, let's look at the job:

"restore electric power, repair roofs and remove debris at three naval facilities in Mississippi damaged by Hurricane Katrina."

*does google search*

OK. Let's look at the first task, restoring electric power. Indianapolis Power and Light has done exactly the same work in disaster circumstances. In fact, they won an award (http://www.eei.org/newsroom/press_releases/030110d.htm) for restoring electic power when three tornadoes ripped through Indiana. The "only company with the resources and experience" line is pure cant. It's true that Halliburton is the biggest such company. But it's false to say that it's the only company capable of doing these tasks (if it was true, Halliburton wouldn't be able to outsource as much as it does, even in Iraq). Now, with that a given, wouldn't it make more sense to give the contracts to companies with no history of price gouging and abuse of the cost plus system?

[Wesley Dodds]

By the way, they got this specific contract in a competitive process in 2004 (says so in the article). A "construction capabilities contract".

[Samurai]

By the way, they got this specific contract in a competitive process in 2004 (says so in the article). A "construction capabilities contract".
If it was a competition, then they were the lowest bidder and won it fair and square... what's the problem?

[Wesley Dodds]

If it was a competition, then they were the lowest bidder and won it fair and square... what's the problem?

The problem is that there's a conflict of interest because it's the Vice-President's former company and that Halliburton has cheated the federal government (and the people of Iraq) on such a massive scale that it deserves to be barred from all government contracts. Right now, the government should be building up alternatives to using Halliburton for major projects like Iraq by giving medium-sized contracts to other companies to build them up as competitors. Remember that in the 90s there were alternatives to Halliburton but under Cheney (whose only qualification to be CEO of the company was his rolodex) they were able to kill off the competition by getting the best contracts.

[lonewolf23k]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/business/3335685



...

Why is no-one up in arms about this?


Because that company is going to repair the area?

...Geez, the way people talk about Haliburton, you'd swear they're a front for a Satanic Cult or something...

[Tom]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/business/3335685



...

Why is no-one up in arms about this?
Well golly, I wouldn't want to be told yet again that my anger is just a partisan dog-and-pony show.

[Typo Lad]

Well golly, I wouldn't want to be told yet again that my anger is just a partisan dog-and-pony show.


I think there's a fine line between "Bush is a racist and that's why he didn't go down there till Friday" and "Why does the VP's company seem to get every government contract these days?"

There's no evidence of the former. Now, of the latter...

[Tom]

I think there's a fine line between "Bush is a racist and that's why he didn't go down there till Friday" and "Why does the VP's company seem to get every government contract these days?"


Agreed, but I don't see anyone making that distinction. Instead, all criticism is relegated to "partisan sniping." And as someone who has never called Bush a racist or even a moron, I'm getting damn tired of being told that my beliefs aren't "real."

[Typo Lad]

I get what you're saying Tom. In the "talking to black folk" thread, I was put in the odd situation of sort-of defending Bush. I was in that position because people who are knee-jerk basing the man.

I mean, Bush and everyone else has a lot to be blamed for, but why make stuff up? All it does is devalue the arguments of people with legitimate gripes.

[BlairH]

If Haliburton has the equiptment and manpower, then I see absolutely no reason why they can't be involved. It is -after all- a free country and a free market.

[Typo Lad]

If Haliburton has the equiptment and manpower, then I see absolutely no reason why they can't be involved. It is -after all- a free country and a free market.

Well, the "free market" is what makes my eyebrows lift.

The Vice President of the US is essentially Mr. Haliburton.

Haliburton earns the right to "clean up" Iraq in a series of closed bids. Closed as in closed to the public and closed as in instead of anyone being able to vie for the contract, only set companies with strong ties to the administration were allowed.

Now this.

It smacks of favoritism.

Now, it could be that nothing is wrong at all, but it sure looks dodgy to me.

[spoon_jenkins]

But it's false to say that it's the only company capable of doing these tasks (if it was true, Halliburton wouldn't be able to outsource as much as it does, even in Iraq). Now, with that a given, wouldn't it make more sense to give the contracts to companies with no history of price gouging and abuse of the cost plus system?
Exactly. This is such BS because Halliburton does so much outsourcing.

And leadership of Halliburton are thieves on a grand scale. It's not just accusations, Halliburton has admitted to massive illegal overcharges. Yet, this week we have people urging that people get shot to death for stealing TVs, or even food and diapers.

[K'Nort]

From a devil's advocate angle, there are other repair folks (other utility companies, etc) coming from all over the country to help with the private sector repair. And for what Halliburton charges, I'm fine with them doing the Navy bases. I don't want other companies taking that irresistably fat govt contract at the expense of all the less-profitable civilian facilities that are in greater need of immediate repair.