Carrier Controversy

Jay Tea doesn't like the idea the Navy's new CVN-78 (formerly CVN-21) is to be named Gerald R. Ford:

I cannot more strongly disagree.
Ford, as I said, did a decent job, but his record is hardly the sort of inspirational sort that a nuclear aircraft carrier should be named for. Such vessels deserve prouder, more valiant, more legendary names than his.
This started in 1945, when the USS Coral Sea (CVB-42) was renamed while still being built as the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. This was proper, as Roosevelt had just recently died in office after leading the United States for over 13 years, including nearly all of World War II. In 1955, the USS Forrestal was named after a late Secretary of the Navy. Then, in 1964, Congress voted to name CV-67 the USS John F. Kennedy after the slain president.
Since then, aircraft carriers have no longer been named after either battles or distinguished warships of the past. They have honored seven presidents, two members of Congress, and one Admiral. Worse yet, three of them were named by Congress (Stennis, Reagan, Bush) for people who were still alive. (Stennis died months before his namesake was actually commissioned, in 1995, but the ship was named in 1988.)

Jay is right, of course, but luckily, I don't see the aircraft carrier remaining the nation's capital ship for much longer. So they can call it whatever they want. Give me USS Independence!