Tom Daschle is deeply saddened...
Posted on 08/26/2005 6:57:26 AM PDT by CedarDave
Commission Votes to Save Ellsworth Base
By LIZ SIDOTI Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The base closing commission voted Friday to keep open Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota - rejecting the Pentagon's plan to close it - as the panel labored toward conclusion of a politically delicate task that has brought alternating sighs of relief and exasperation in communities across America.
The surprise decision was a setback for Pentagon leaders, a blessing for South Dakotans who feared losing some 4,000 jobs, and a victory for Sen. John Thune and the state's other politicians who lobbied vigorously to save the base. Thune, a freshman Republican, unseated then-Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle partly on the strength of his claim he could help save the base.
As it made decisions this week on the first round of base closings in a decade, commissioners also bucked Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld by voting to keep open two major Navy bases in New England - a submarine base in Connecticut and a shipyard in Maine. Other contentious issues in the Air Force restructuring remained to be heard later Friday.
Ellsworth, most famous for its Cold War-era arsenal of missiles and nuclear bombers aimed toward the Soviet Union, is home to half the nation's fleet of B1-B bombers. The Pentagon had wanted to move all the bombers at their other location, Dyess Air Force Base in Texas.
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But the commission found that closing Ellsworth wouldn't save any money over 20 years, and that it actually would cost nearly $20 million to move the planes to the Texas base. The Pentagon had projected saving $1.8 billion over two decades with the closure.
"We have no savings, we're essentially moving the airplanes from one very, very good base to another very, very good base, which are essentially equal," commissioner Harold Gehman said about the proposal.
As the commission voted, Thune smiled as he accepted handshakes of congratulations from other lawmakers, including New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who was awaiting a decision on the proposed closure of Cannon Air Force Base in his state. Thune said the decision was not political.
"Obviously our arguments got through. The current and future value of Ellsworth Air Force base got through," he said moments after the vote.
Glad to hear it. I spent three years at Ellsworth and have many fond memories of the area.
And Tom Dashole is sad.
Good.
Good for John Thune, ergo good for country.
Dan
Good news for Thune too.
Thune has assured his re-election
Daschle is deeply saddened.
The Brac chairman gave this away in the press when he said it would be a bad decision to close ellsworth. Every place he has said that the base has survived. Thune still went on Lou Dobbs last night acting like it was going to be closed.
I didin't know he did that, discouraging.
Hmmm. Thought this was worthy of Breaking News. Guess the mods didn't agree with me. But the other two threads got pulled already, so shouldn't gripe.
Who really wins here, U.S. taxpayers? When I was in my 30 years of service, they would constantly reminded us to call in Fraud, Waste or Abuse. Buddy can you spare a dime?
You just knew that Lil' Tommy was planning his whole campaign around blaming Thune for losing Ellsworth. The base may be redundant, but keeping Daschle out of the Senate is worth keeping it.
I'm tickled that it appears that Ellsworth may survive but for the rest of the towns who stand to lose a base....to bad so sad. No one cried when Forbes closed. The town and state didn't fade away. Others will survive the closure of bases. Deal with it!
Conducted himself in what matter?
> But the commission found that closing Ellsworth ...
They finally noticed that the original reason for closing
Ellsworth (Daschle) had already been resolved :-)
Finally tuned into C-Span and they are now discussing Cannon. Saw Richardson on TV last night - he's Clinton lite. The interview was all about him and how he's working hard to save Cannon. Another phony politician. YUCK!!
You too huh. Couldn't understand why it was pulled, but at the speed of light, even a search isn't good enough to avoid the same post at the same time, times 4 more or less.
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