It was big news when the Pentagon awarded a fiercely contested tanker deal to a team comprised of Northrop Grumman (U.S.) and EADS (Europe) over Boeing (U.S.). The Pentagon typically holds competitive bidding processes to ensure best use of taxpayer dollars and the result was that the Pentagon believes the Boeing entry was an inferior product for the U.S. Air Force. Boeing originally won the contract, but John McCain highlighted the corruption of the process and forced the competitive bidding process (more than one person went to federal prison for crimes committed in the prior Boeing handout).

Naturally, finding the best product for the best price is not of interest to politicians in whose districts Boeing has facilities. They don't think the Pentagon ought to be responsible stewards of the taxpayers' money, but rather view the procurement budget as a source of local pork. So when the contract went to the Northrop Grumman-EADS team, the protectionists and demagogues howled.

John McCain is standing firm and he should be applauded, and defended and supported, for saving the taxpayers billions of dollars and stopping an illegal backroom deal with Boeing from fleecing the government. Let the Democrats, and some nativist Republicans, defend the status quo of military planning based on what local pols want instead of what best serves the needs of our armed forces.