LAT: Military base closings will shift troops to the South- POLITICS!!!

[Nothing Without Hope]

The South is, of course, the great GOP and RW fundie extremist stronghold. (They had to work harder to steal midwestern states.) This is an obvious pollitical move, for example a payoff to the Rethug members of Congress. In my mind, it also raises questions of whether the personnel at the bases in these areas might be influenced to be more GOP-leaning. (The GOP/Fristian influence on our military is seen, for example, in the religious intrusion into the Air Force Academy (http://tinyurl.com/dnyt6), and who knows what is going with the other military academies.)

There is much more info in this LA Times story than the map and 4 paragraphs I have given here.

See also this thread, which earlier raised the issue of the political nature of these selected closings:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3655640
Thread title; “antecdote: republican insight on base closures.”

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-bases14may14.story

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-bases14may14.story
May 14, 2005

Military Plans to Shut Down 33 U.S. Bases

Pentagon emphasizes joint operations and realigns troop strength with a shift to the South. California would lose about 2,000 jobs.

By John Hendren and Mark Mazzetti, Times Staff Writers

(snip)

Although the planned cuts were far smaller than Pentagon strategists had forecast a few months ago, they hammered many Northern and Midwestern states and gave the military an increasingly Southern accent.

The biggest loser in terms of jobs was Connecticut, which would see 8,586 military and civilian positions disappear. Maine would lose 6,938 jobs, while the District of Columbia would lose 6,496. South Dakota would lose 3,797, New Jersey 3,760 and Missouri 3,679.

Massachusetts and Rhode Island defied the regional trend, modestly gaining 491 and 531 jobs, respectively.

(snip)

However, based on previous base closings, removing a facility from the list of doomed bases is likely to be an uphill battle. Fewer than 10% of the sites were removed in previous rounds, and no more than 15% of the sites on previous lists were altered. This time, said Michael Wynne, the Pentagon's undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, the Pentagon is intent on remaining below that figure.

(snip)

[cap]

1. to the victor belong the spoils...

I wonder what other government spending has been shifted from the NE to the South and the West...

[mainer]

2. This will make the blue states even more blue

Resentment against Bush and Co. (even among the traditionally conservative military boosters) has erupted in noisy protests up here in Kittery.

[Q]

3. Looks like they're setting up...

...for the Second Civil War.

[Cobalt Violet]

4. Looks like it.

[Nothing Without Hope]

5. Yes, the thought had crossed my mind. n/t

[pursuivant]

11. I don't think so

Most of the big military bases - at least the ones with large numbers of combat troops - have been in the South and Southwest since World War 2. The main factors, IIRC, were cheap land and senior "Dixie-crat" politicians.

The exceptions are/were Ft. Dix, NJ (now closed), Groton, CT. (on the chopping block), Brooklyn Naval Yard, NY (now closed) and Ft. Drum, NY.

On the West coast you have Bremerton, WA, Ft. Lewis, WA., Oakland, CA (now closed), 29 Palms, CA, San Diego, CA and Edwards AFB, CA.

Hawaii is also bristling with military installations, but it's unusual because it's always been a U.S. military colony.

If you want truly scary statistics, look at the politics/religious beliefs of serving military personnel - most are religious and political conservatives. If we were to fight a Civil War today, the Blue States would get their butts kicked.

[Nothing Without Hope]

13. yes, exactly - the neocons are pushing their politics and Fristianity on

the military as much as possible, raising the important question: to whom will the millitary be loyal if this administration is ever challenged by elected officials?

This is a long-range plan that has already been in play for some time, and I see this as one iimportant motivation behind these base shifts.

It's so rampant at the Air Force Academy that it's the subject of an investigation (I expect whitewash and more isolated "bad apples") - who knows what is going on at the other mililtar academies. These are our future military officers! To whom will they be loyal and how will they confront non-Chistians?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1762771#1763754
TinyURL: http://tinyurl.com/dnyt6
Thread title: WaPo: Air Force Academy religious bias probe – FUNDIE INFILTRATION?

[Nothing Without Hope]

6. Full recommendations and NYT article – This move looks VERY suspicious

Read what Rumsfeld says – it makes me wonder what this is really about. Experts say the projected savings numbers don’t add up. This is being done for a different reason, count on it. What is it?

Full recommendations: http://www.defenselink.mil/brac/vol_I_parts_1_and_2.html


Impact by state (Table in a pdf file: http://www.defenselink.mil/brac/pdf/Appendix_C_FinalUpdated.pdf

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/14/politics/14bases.html?th&emc=th

Pentagon Seeks to Shut Dozens of Bases Across Nation

By ERIC SCHMITT
Published: May 14, 2005

The military also wants to move thousands of military and civilian workers out of leased commercial high-rise buildings near the Pentagon in Northern Virginia to more secure locations at bases around the country.

(snip)

"Our current arrangements, designed for the cold war, must give way to the new demands of the war against extremism and other evolving 21st-century challenges," Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said. The plan is proposed to save $48.8 billion over 20 years.

(snip)

Pentagon officials said that politics played no role in a process that made military value the top priority. President Bush's home state, Texas, for instance, would gain a net total of 6,150 military and civilian jobs if the military's recommendations stand. But inside the state, there are winners and losers. The redeployment of 11,000 soldiers from the First Armored Division in Germany to Fort Bliss would be partially offset by the closing of 15 installations, including the Red River Army Depot and Ingleside Naval Station.

(snip)

Even with fewer closings than once expected, Mr. Rumsfeld said the proposed changes would save about $5.5 billion a year after initial closing costs were paid, and $48.8 billion over 20 years. The previous four rounds of base closings saved a total of $29 billion through 2003, according to the Government Accountability Office, leaving some base-closing specialists to question the Pentagon's analysis.

(snip)

[Nothing Without Hope]

7. kick n/t

[hector459]

8. I said this the first day I heard it. It's the Civil War without a shot.

Here is how Dems can win. Just join them in the South. Move into districts, run stealth candidates as Republicans or Independents. You can maintain homes in both north and south but maintain voting residence in the sourth and mid-west. Good for tax purposes as well. I worked with a guy in Bethesda, MD who maintained a Colo. residence for 30 years. He worked for the government too. It can be done.

[pursuivant]

12. The silver lining . . .

1) The civil war (at least the hot war) hasn't started yet.

2) Some of the states losing jobs are swing states. Since military people are overwhelmingly conservative, the difference might be enough to tip those states Democratic (e.g., South Dakota).

3) The red states need money from the blue states in order to keep the military running. If they start a shooting war, they basically blow up their own means of support.

[Adelante]

9. Those jobs numbers look low balled

I used to live near Fort Monmouth in NJ, which is closing. I'm pretty sure there were more like 5,000 civilian jobs, plus a couple of thousand civilian contractors.

[paineinthearse]

10. thanks, this is most informative

as usual!

[IChing]

14. look at where the gravy is

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1787395&mesg_id=1787395