2009.07.02
Editorial: Technical difficulties
Lawmakers confront technical difficulties
The public-private partnership with Northrop Grumman has been a failure so far.
It isn't time to start panicking about the state's computers, but it's getting close. Lawmakers heard testimony this week that the public-private partnership to run the commonwealth's government technology is a disaster. A few years ago, the General Assembly and then-Gov. Mark Warner worked out the deal creating the Virginia Information Technologies Agency to take care of the details. The commonwealth would pay $2 billion over 10 years to military-contracting titan Northrop Grumman. In return, the company would modernize state computer systems, manage them and become the information technology provider across all of state government.
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Other than mentioning that it occurred under Mark Warner's administration (which is an observation of fact and not a criticism), where is the lambasting of now Senator Warner?
I almost get nervous when you have something decent to say about Morgan Griffith. Not sure what was afoot with that other than you liked his take on it.
I am sure thast somewhere a conservative is at fault for this one too.
Comment by BobH — July 2, 2009 @ 7:31 am
I know that politicians have to spend the majority of their life getting re-elected but what on earth are these other folks SUPPOSED to be doing? Does anyone in government actually DO their job anymore? Seriously, he was fired because they did not want to cause trouble with the folks NOT doing their job?
Comment by Sandi Saunders — July 2, 2009 @ 7:53 am
Sandi! You go girl!
And this is the same bunch the RTEB wants us to entrust billions in to fix transportation? Billions we don't even have?
And our IT czar was promoted to the BHO admin after doing such a bang up job here? Probably at the recommendation of Kaine?
It isn't the state's money, it's OUR money. Isn't it time we held those who are getting our hard earned cash responsible?
I smell a rat here. Someone needs to check where this company has been making its campaign donations.
Comment by BobH — July 2, 2009 @ 8:16 am
"I am sure thast somewhere a conservative is at fault for this one too.
Comment by BobH — July 2, 2009 @ 7:31 am "
Give us time.
Comment by Art Hill — July 2, 2009 @ 9:42 am
"Former Northrop Grumman Electronics Systems chief James Roche served as George Bush's Secretary of the Air Force for two years. Since September 11th, Roche has emphasized the need for more spending on intelligence systems, specifically mentioning Northrop Grumman's Airborne Warning and At least seven former officials, consultants, or shareholders of Northrop Grumman now hold posts in the Bush administration, ensuring that the company’s interests are not overlooked for lucrative contracts in the “war on terrorism”, including Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, Vice-Presidential Chief of Staff I. Lewis Libby, Pentagon Comptroller Dov Zakheim, and Sean O’Keefe, director of NASA."
"Now based in Fairfax, Virginia, the company has been controlled in the past through a web of interlocking ownership by a partnership that included James A. Baker III and Frank Carlucci, former U.S. secretaries of state and defense under Presidents George Bush senior and Ronald Reagan respectively."
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?list=type&type=11
I agree BobH...I wonder whose campaigns Northrop has been donating to. A mystery.
Comment by Kristen — July 2, 2009 @ 10:17 am
Unfortunately, Bush didn't have anything to do with the decision this state made to go with them.
Being an astute company, I am willing to bet they give poltical $ to both sides as it suits their purpose.
Good info though. It is a dirty game.
Comment by BobH — July 2, 2009 @ 10:42 am
Good info though. It is a dirty game.
Comment by BobH — July 2, 2009 @ 10:42 am
It's beyond dirty and there is absolutely zero incentive on the parts of the players to clean it up. They're all making money on both ends of the deal and the public gets jobbed.
Spend too much time researching this sort of thing could cause a brain bleed.
Comment by Kristen — July 2, 2009 @ 11:26 am