Lawrence is not loved in western Kansas nor by the people who represent them in Topeka. We’re seen as far too liberal and, these days, as meddling in western Kansas affairs as a result of the strong lobbying by Lawrence folks against the coal-fired power plants proposed to be built near Holcomb.

Whatever position one takes on the merits of those plants, one cannot deny that the political impact of Lawrence’s anti-plant stance has not done us any good politically. I believe, however, that Lawrence now has a chance to do something for our western neighbors that will be uncontroversial and helpful to them and to the state as a whole.

The U.S. Air Force announced last week that it was awarding the contract to build a new generation of mid-air refueling tankers to Grumman-Northrup and a consortium dominated by the European aircraft company Airbus. This contract has been years in the making and is estimated to be worth over $50 billion to the companies who win it.

Were Boeing to win the contract it would mean thousands of jobs for the company, many of which would be located in Wichita. The contract would be a boon to the Wichita economy and to the economy of Kansas as a whole. The loss of the contract, on the other hand, is just one more blow to an economy already in difficulty.

The announcement by the Air Force that it was awarding this contract to a consortium dominated by Airbus was greeted with stunned amazement by Boeing. Our Air Force is completely dependent upon its refueling planes. Without them, we could not maintain a global presence in the air. That so vital a part of our defense capability is being turned over to foreign manufacturers raises serious questions, at least in my mind, about national security. And, of course, it also makes one ask why the Pentagon would take an action so harmful to American industry.

The Pentagon’s response to criticism over this action has been that the Grumman-Northrup-Airbus airplane is better suited to the needs of our Air Force. Personally, I find this to be ridiculous. Is the Pentagon saying that no American aircraft manufacturer can produce an airplane with the same or better specifications than promised by Airbus? Have they tried?

As soon as the Pentagon made its announcement, Boeing protested the award. During the next few months that protest will be considered and, eventually, a final decision about whether to give Airbus the contract will be made. This is, therefore, a crucial time, to exert as much political influence as possible on Boeing’s behalf. And this is, therefore, an opportunity for Lawrence and its residents to do something to help.

If we felt justified in attacking the coal plant proposals for western Kansas, then, certainly, we should also feel a need to help Boeing and, thereby, the Kansas economy as a whole. So here’s my proposal: I think that the Lawrence City Commission should pass a resolution supporting Boeing in this contract dispute. I think that every individual who acted to stop the coal plants in western Kansas should act to stop the Pentagon from awarding the new aircraft contract to Airbus. Write to your senators and congressmen. Do the equivalent on behalf of the Kansas economy that you did on behalf of the Kansas environment. It seems to me that such a course makes economic sense and is only fair.