] Air Traffic Control ] ] ] Speaking of contracting out, an administration move to ] privatize air traffic control at 69 airports has sparked ] opposition from labor groups, which contend it would ] compromise safety. ] ] ] The administration had proposed 71 airports, but House ] Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Don ] Young (R-Alaska), who supports the effort, got someone to ] strike the two Alaska airports on the list. ] ] ] Young, on an Alaska cable TV show a week ago, ] acknowledged the move generated some heat. ] ] ] "Of course the criticism of myself," he said, "is that I ] exempted the state of Alaska." But there were ample ] reasons for that, he said, ticking off a number of them. ] ] ] "Lastly," Young said, "my hotel room is on the top floor ] of the Sheraton, and the airplanes take right off towards ] my hotel room. Every morning I look out and there's one ] coming right at me. It's an interesting experience and I ] want to make sure everything is done right in that ] field." Great. So it's ok that the airports the rest of us use could be incompetently staffed. Tauzin's Classic Dodge (washingtonpost.com) |