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'Scare them into quitting': Senator says Trump’s letter to aviation workers may have led to crash

'Scare them into quitting': Senator says Trump’s letter to aviation workers may have led to crash

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Image: Shutterstock

Carl Gibson

January 31, 2025

Earlier this week, President Donald Trump's administration offered millions of federal workers seven months of pay in advance if they quit their jobs. Days later, a mid-air collision between a regional jet and a military helicopter killed dozens outside the Washington D.C. National Airport. One senator thinks the two events may be related.

Politico reported Thursday evening that the deadly Wednesday night crash above the Potomac River that killed 60 American Airlines passengers and four crew members along with three U.S. Army pilots in a Black Hawk helicopter has lawmakers and aviation officials demanding answers. During a Thursday press conference, officials with the National Transportation Safety Board promised to fully investigate the crash to determine what caused the fatal error, though they cautioned it could take a year or more before their investigation is complete.

The New York Times reported earlier Thursday that the air traffic controller who was on duty at the time of the crash was performing duties normally done by two controllers, and that staffing levels were "not normal" on Wednesday night. And Politico reported that airports across the country have had a critical shortage of air traffic controllers for years, mostly due to a lack of funding appropriated by Congress for hiring and training new airport control tower workers. According to the Times, many air traffic controllers work six days a week for as much as 10 hours per day.

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But Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) — an Iraq War veteran who used to pilot a Black Hawk helicopter — suggested that morale among federal employees being lower than usual due to the Trump administration's recent buyout offer letter could have also been a contributing factor. She also blasted Trump for his assertion that diversity, equity and inclusion-based hiring practices under former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden were to blame.

"Obviously, you’re relying on air traffic control," Duckworth said. She noted that both Federal Aviation Administration officials and air traffic controllers were among those who received emails from the Office of Personnel Management asking them to consider leaving their jobs.

"[Letters were sent to] some air traffic controllers that are responsible for airspace in the Northeast region,” she continued, “Basically trying to scare them into quitting at a time when we have a shortage of air traffic controllers. So I don’t think the Trump administration is in a strong position right now to start blaming others.”

“This should’ve never happened, and we wanna understand what happened,” said Senate Commerce Committee member Ted Budd (R-N.C.)

Source

Indonesia bans American beef over mad cow scare

April 27, 2012

Indonesia imports 20 per cent of its beef from the United States. Photo: Louie Douvis

INDONESIA has stopped imports of US beef, following a case of mad cow disease that was detected in California.

The country has broken ranks with other importers, providing a potential windfall for Australian beef producers.

Indonesian Agriculture Minister Suswono said yesterday the government had no time frame, but said the suspension applied to all beef shipped after April 24. This week the first US case of mad cow disease was detected in California.

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American officials said the case was ''atypical'' and not related to feed, which calmed fears of a widespread outbreak.

America's four biggest beef trading partners, Canada, Mexico, Japan and South Korea, have not stopped imports. Australia imports no beef from the US.

But two major South Korean retailers have pulled American beef from their shelves.

Indonesia imports 20 per cent of its beef from the United States.

Australia and New Zealand make up about 40 per cent of the country's beef imports, according to Indonesian Meat Importers Association figures.

The Australian export industry, worth more than $4 billion, predicted on Wednesday that it could benefit from any ban on United States imports, with Australia ready to pick up any slack, including that in Indonesia.

David Farley, the chief executive of the Australian Agricultural Co, the nation's largest cattle company, said that when the world's largest exporter was under pressure, competitors would benefit. ''In a relatively tight world market, any market opportunity there is bodes well for Australia,'' Mr Farley said.

But Meat and Livestock Australia's chief economist, Tim McRae, said it was still too early to see any changes in trade.

And he warned that Australia's ability to pick up an Indonesian import deficit would be tempered because the nation had reduced its quota on boxed beef imports.

The United States is Australia's second-biggest beef export market behind Japan, and Mr McRae also warned that a mad cow scare could have a negative impact the consumer demand for beef.

Mad cow disease can kill humans who consume infected beef, but it is not transmitted through milk.

Source: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/indonesia-bans-american-beef-over-mad-cow-scare-20120426-1xnwg.html#ixzz1tCfIHhDP

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Most Americans Dismiss Scare Tactics in the Health Care Reform Debate

Posted: 09/16/09

A majority of Americans believe many of the claims about health care legislation are distortions or "scare tactics," according to a new Bloomberg poll.

Take the so-called "death panels" charge raised by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and others. The House bill calls for "advanced care planning consultations" that would reimburse doctors for talking with patients once every five years about end-of-life care. Sixty-three percent of those polled believe the "death panel" moniker is a distortion or scare tactic compared to 30 percent who said it is a legitimate criticism.

Republicans such as House Minority Leader John Boehner and anti-abortion groups have charged that reform legislation would allow taxpayer-funded abortions. Sixty-one percent dismissed that as a distortion compared to 33 percent who said it was legitimate.
Critics have warned that an overhaul would lead to health care rationing, although many supporters of reform counter that rationing, in effect, already exists because of insurance company policies and the inability to afford health care. Those polled called this charge a scare tactic, 59 percent to 35 percent.

The idea that the government would pay for health care for illegal immigrants – which prompted South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson's shout of "You lie" during President Obama's speech to Congress last week -- was rejected by 58 percent of respondents, while 37 percent thought it was legitimate.

The knock on the health plan that drew the highest level of concern was the charge that reform would lead to socialized medicine, something that 43 percent said was a legitimate fear. But 52 percent called it a distortion.

Overall, the poll found 48 percent backed Obama's push for a health care overall compared to 42 percent who opposed it, with 10 percent undecided.

Obama's health care speech to Congress on Sept. 9 elicited the following response: 62 percent of those who expressed an opinion of Obama's plan answered that their views remained the same. Twenty-two percent said they were more likely to support the plan as a result of the speech, while 10 percent said they were less likely to do so.

The poll indicates that a majority of Americans are mostly pessimistic, 56 percent to 39 percent, that a health care plan will be passed in 2009. As for the economy, 54 percent to 44 percent say the government has the ability to help the it recover.

The poll of 1,004 adults ages 18 or older was conducted Sept. 10-14. It has an error margin of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.



Source:
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/09/16/most-americans-dismiss-scare-tactics-in-the-health-care-reform-d/

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