Base closings list...........??? Red vs Blue state bias.

[Historic NY]

Doesn't it seem stupid to close the home of submarine schooling in Groton Ct. for almost 133yrs. It is obvious there is some bias close the blue state base and keep 2 red ones open, both in the south.

I also saw that Walter Reed Army Hospital is on the list.....that plain does not make sense.


http://www.defenselink.mil/brac/pdf/Appendix_C_FinalUpdated.pdf

[B Calm]

1. Thanks for the link.. Amazing how they want to close all these

reserves centers, making it harder on military reservists when they are trying to recruit more in. Don't make sense..

[BrklynLiberal]

2. Does it truly surprise you that they are looking to punish blue states?

It is the same principle that was behind the idea of rescinding the concept of making local and state taxes deductible from Federal taxes. It is the blue states that have the largest local and state taxes.

They will keep the reserve bases open in the states in which they figure they can still get people to sign up...the red states.

[crimson333]

3. I heard they were going to consolidate

The Naval Hospital and the Army Hospital into some sort of complex

[hector459]

5. Walter Reed..right OUT of DC and into the Maryland upscale burbs.

It's painfully obvious what is going on here and if the voting public allows it to happen, they deserve what they get.

[Warpy]

4. Groton requires icebreakers in the winter

while southern ports do not. I think that may be part of the reasoning.

In any case, the only base in NM targeted is in the rednecky, proBush south, with another two bases there slated for "realignment," whatever that means.

Don't forget, though, that these are still only recommendations. What states get "punished" by actual closings remains to be seen.

[Stinky The Clown]

11. Icebreakers?

Hiya Warpy! :hi:

Sparkly and I are both from Connecticut, and she grew up in New London, in a house, literally, overlooking the Thames River, on which is the sub base. The subs run up and down without the need for icebreakers. Its a pretty free flowing river. Sure, there is some surface ice, but nowhere even close to needing an icebreaker.

I was stationed in Newport Rhode Island for a few months in the dead of winter. That's right down the road from New London. No need for icebreakers there, either .... although let me tell you, walking guard duty (yes, sailors walked guard duty) on midwatch with a peacoat was so friggin cold I thought I'd end up childless. (They finally descended in June of that year.)

So yeah, its cold ... but not *that* cold.

edit for spelling

[Historic NY]

13. I will remind you if icebreakers were needed that would fall under the

Coast Guard. The US needs a North Alantic operational zone. I might be biased due to our previous history, but the Nazi's damn near killed off our entire merchant fleet in 1942-43 because we lacked east coast naval operations. History has a tendencey to repeat itself and to forego a proven operational station in the North Alantic region seems to be a total disreguard for our countries defense. Now thats only me a historian speaking.

I find this similar to the loss of various air bases....9/11 proved this to be true, when we couldn't get fighter aircraft off the ground and into the NY air space in a time when it would have mattered. Thje performance on that day was dismal.

[Blue_In_AK]

6. Alaska is taking a hard hit, and we're very red...

They're only completely shutting down one Air Guard base, but Eielson AFB in Fairbanks is going to be skeletonized, and Elmendorf AFB and Ft. Rich army base here in Anchorage will be downsized and combined. I don't really think this is a plot against the blue states, although I could be wrong.

[ladjf]

7. The subs won't have to travel as far to travel to the South

American area, the scene of Bush's next geopolitical scene that needs
more freedom and democracy. Perhaps the subs missiles can simply fire at Venezuela without even leaving port. I know, I'm being silly.

[Kansas Wyatt]

8. Aside from the Red or Blue state evaluation, it is a shame this country...

Has made so many communities and people dependent on the military and military industrial complex. We outspend the entire rest of the World combined for our military, yet we cannot invest into these communities to be able to survive without the presence of a military base or invest into any other community for the well being of it's citizens.

[SF Bay Area Dem]

9. Total and complete bias against BLUE states

Here's a look at the Red/Blue State and Party Breakout from the BRAC

Here's an analysis of the BRAC List. Overall there was a loss of 12,428 billets.


Red/Blue State
Red 11,861
Blue (24,289) (loss)

Senators
Both Republicans (Red & Blue) (284)
Split 1,830
Both Democrats (Red & Blue) (13,974)

Governors
Republican 8,444
Democrat (20,872)

Are All 3 Same Party?
Red/Blue, Both Senators, Governor
Republican 2,448
Split (2,346)
Democrat (12,530)


The real details are the big losses are Maine, Connecticut, and DC (losing 22K)

and

the big gains are Texas, Georgia, and Maryland (gaining 22K)

[IggleDoer]

10. At least ...

... this should put an end to the "Clinton gutted the military" claims. Now the repubicans have further cut the military.

[tyedyeto]

12. Since McCain and Kyl have been doing some a$$-kissing...

here in AZ, there won't be much of an impact.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7853915/

Ariz. bases: no gain, little loss
By Carol Ann Alaimo and C.J. Karamargin, Arizona Daily Star

Azstarnet.comTucson, AZ -
Supporters of Southern Arizona's military bases heaved a sigh of relief Friday at news that none of the state's defense installations will be axed.

But the growth they pushed for did not materialize in the draft plan the Pentagon released on the future makeup of the nation's military infrastructure.

The plan includes 550 job losses in Arizona, a minimal number compared to states that lost thousands of military jobs.

Local cuts were limited to 60 military positions in Tucson and 167 civilian positions at Fort Huachuca, in Sierra Vista.