White House Threatens to Close Offutt Air Force Base If Nelson Doesn’t Vote for Obamacare

stoptheaclu ^ | 12/15/09 | stoptheaclu

[American Dream 246]

Quite an explosive leak! I wonder how this will affect things? It is certainly a thuggish and dangerous thing for Obama to play with National Security over this craptacular idea of socialized medicine. Quite a desperate move.

According to a Senate aide, the White House is now threatening to put Nebraska’s Offutt Air Force Base on the BRAC list if Nelson doesn’t fall into line. Offutt Air Force Base employs some 10,000 military and federal employees in Southeastern Nebraska. As our source put it, this is a “naked effort by Rahm Emanuel and the White House to extort Nelson’s vote.” They are “threatening to close a base vital to national security for what?” asked the Senate staffer.

Indeed, Offutt is the headquarters for US Strategic Command, the successor to Strategic Air Command, and not by accident. STRATCOM was located in the middle of the country for strategic reasons. Its closure would be a massive blow to the economy of the state of Nebraska, but it would also be another example of this administration playing politics with our national security.

So much for the idea of Obama trying to save jobs and improve the economy!

Without Nelson’s vote, since all Republicans are still in line to oppose this, Reid is still left with 59 votes. So, some arm twisting is taking place. Nelson doesn’t want this bill to fund abortions so he is now being threatened, and national security along with him. How shameful this would be if Democrats felt shame.

Ed Morrissey:

The Obama administration has little left to use for leverage. Why not national security? After all, if we’re going to bring terrorists into Illinois, what does it matter if we put the US Strategic Command on wheels for a few years?

What a nightmare!

[anglian]

From the White House Blog:

The Health Reform Rumor Mill Targets Nebraskans

Posted by Dan Pfeiffer on December 15, 2009 at 06:31 PM EST

Proving that they will leave no stone unturned in their efforts to undermine health reform, some blogs opposing reform are now trafficking an absurd rumor that Nebraska’s Offutt Air Force Base is being threatened over Senator Ben Nelson’s vote on the Senate reform bill.

To be perfectly clear: these rumors are completely baseless and false.

Thanks for your time.

Dan Pfeiffer is White House Communications Director
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2009/12/15/health-reform-rumor-mill-targets-nebraskans I found it from reading comments (always a hoot!) here. http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/CloeAxelson/gGMyJ2/commentary

[Stultis]

If I were Ben Nelson, I would switch parties effective immediately and tell Obama to take it and shove it. He would win reelection in a heartbeat.

In terms of averred party affiliation, Nebraska is, per Gallup, one of the top ten most Republican. (Seven percent advantage to Pubbies.)

Nelson has to be aware of this fact. So keep pushing, Barry!

[savedbygrace]

If you click on the top link to the article, then click on the opening phrase in that article, which is a link to the Weekly Standard page, you end up here:

http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/12/source_dems_threaten_nelson_in_1.asp

[colorado tanker]

Offutt’s been the HQ for SAC and Strategic Command forever. No way it would meet BRAC criteria for closure and no way the Air Force (or Navy) would propose it.

[savedbygrace]

And this is the Permalink:

http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/12/source_dems_threaten_nelson_in_1.asp

[Miss Didi]

Rush talked about it all day:



Democrats Will Do Anything to Pass Obamacare; RINOs Clueless

[anglian]

Re: A hoot! Like this comment from yesterday. Only if we could be as wise as He! By Colin Inspired by President Obama’ s proper bearings and strong visionary leadership. Dec 13th 2009 at 7:06 pm EST
“”Now Kimberly, that is the President I cast my vote for with all my intelligence, love, and hope for a great future. He does not have an easy job, as we can see how dumbed down, and polarizing our media is and are most of our citizens. But I am certain MOST will catch up with Obama’s intelligence and enlightment in due time. The road is long, but we will not get weary. I am proud he is our Commander in Chief, as he is our Educator in Chief.””

[Impy]

All your base are belong to Obama.

Nelson should resign in protest. ;D

[opentalk]

You have the Weekly Standard link?

Source: Dems Threaten Nelson In Pursuit of 60

While the Democrats appease Senator Lieberman, they still have to worry about other recalcitrant Democrats including Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson. Though Lieberman has been out front in the fight against the public option and the Medicare buy-in, Nelson was critical of both.

Now that those provisions appear to have been stripped from the bill, Lieberman may get on board, but Nelson's demand that taxpayer money not be used to fund abortion has still not been met. According to a Senate aide, the White House is now threatening to put Nebraska's Offutt Air Force Base on the BRAC list if Nelson doesn't fall into line.

Offutt Air Force Base employs some 10,000 military and federal employees in Southeastern Nebraska. As our source put it, this is a "naked effort by Rahm Emanuel and the White House to extort Nelson's vote." They are "threatening to close a base vital to national security for what?" asked the Senate staffer.

Indeed, Offutt is the headquarters for US Strategic Command, the successor to Strategic Air Command, and not by accident. STRATCOM was located in the middle of the country for strategic reasons. Its closure would be a massive blow to the economy of the state of Nebraska, but it would also be another example of this administration playing politics with our national security.

[TigersEye]

He isn’t one of U.S.

[ReformedBeckite]

I know I'm really going to get flamed for this but I think it would be better off for the tax payers if it was closed, and turn the base over to some civilian outfit. It might make a good hub for something like FEDEX or UPS or even the USPS, would probably create as many jobs as their would be lost, most jobs lost would be military just moving to another base.

[panaxanax]

“The only thing there of importance is it’s underground bunker, and command center set up for the president.”

You mean we got rid of all the planes? I really don’t know.

I drew my first breath of life at the Offutt AFB Hospital waaay back in the middle of the the last century. I know that that does not make me an expert but I still contend there is a lot more there than you or I know about.

[Patriotic1]

Sigh... it’s not that anyone opposes reform, but we do oppose their efforts which masquerade as reform.

[El Gato]

White House Threatens to Close Offutt Air Force Base If Nelson Doesn’t Vote for Obamacare

Curtis LeMay must be rolling in his grave.

Of course he also had a solution.

"Bomb 'em back to the stone age". Although with this bunch, it might be hard to tell when you'd succeeded.

[MountainDad]

"""No way it would meet BRAC criteria for closure and no way the Air Force (or Navy) would propose it."""

Northrop G. and Lockheed M. have also built new facilities nearby recently.

[El Gato]

IMPEACH THE MARXIST TRAITOR!!

While that would be entirely appropriate. The Traitorous Marxist Congress is not likely to git 'er done.

[LibLieSlayer]

Indeed... FU entire obama clan!

LLS

[panaxanax]

So, who’d pay for this move and what would be the point? Closing Offutt AFB makes about as much sense as closing Gitmo and relocating the terrorists. Doesn’t figure.

They will never close Offutt.

[ReformedBeckite]

I was stationed there for a year after the cold war ended, so I do know a little bit about the place.

[Deo volente]

I thought extortion was against the law. Since when did it become OK for a president to threaten a senator this way to obtain his vote?

We have a lawless, would-be tyrant in the White House, it seems.
It’s high time for a bill of impeachment!