Posted on 04/22/2005 3:14:49 PM PDT by Pikamax
Voinovich visits local base as deadline nears for closure recommendations U.S. Sen. George Voinovich was in the area Friday stumping for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the 178th Fighter Wing Air National Guard base in Springfield as the deadline for the base realignment and closure recommendations approaches.
Voinovich, a Republican, toured the National Guard base Friday morning and is hosting a roundtable discussion at the Young's Jersey Dairy with several Springfield-area community advocates to discuss the BRAC process.
In just a few weeks, the waiting will be over for the local bases and military installations across the country. The U.S. Department of Defense must issue by May 16 an initial list of recommendations on which bases should be closed. Some officials have speculated that the list could come earlier than the deadline.
The federal Base Realignment and Closure Commission plans, as it has during previous BRAC rounds, will send its nine members to different regions of the country to tour major installations that the Department of Defense recommends for closure. Also, if minor realignments are suggested, a commission member's representative may visit the bases.
The BRAC commission has until Sept. 8 to review the Defense Department's recommendations, then send its own list of recommendations to the president.
The president and Congress must both approve that list. The president and Congress can propose changes after receiving the list, but the president must make a final decision no later than Nov. 7.
yeah... you and I think alike.
My first thought also!
Did you guys ever have any doubt???? :o)
Explains it all.
I vote to close the base.
Me too. Close the base and pull all his highway funds.
Pavlov's basic principle: If you reward bad behavior, you will just get more and more of it. Works for the Palestinians, too.
Now we know why he had an attack of conscience and held up Bolton's nomination.
So9
Agreed.
Make an example of the newly crowned maverick. Let it serve as example to the other Maverick's in waiting.
Ahem, guys--the vote on Bolton is set for May 12 and the decision on the base closings is due May 16..Readjust your strategy..
First there was the "new" term, being "Borked----
Then, after last year's elections came the term, being "Daschled"---
I would think any and all Senators of either party better remember that term---Daschle was the Minority leader for heaven's sake and got voted out--I guess they didn't pay attention, lets hope that we voters DON'T FORGET!
The Republicans should forget about targeting strong Democrats for the next couple of cycles, and instead devote their money to trying to pick up seats from Chaffee, Voinovich, and others of their ilk. Target 10 incumbent Republicans and you could have more impact than taking on the same number of Democrat senators.
screw that, don't close Wright Patterson. I work there. Besides which, there are many many things on that base that would be extremely hard to relocate.
WPAFB isn't going to make it past the preliminary rounds. Neither the GOP nor the Dems will want to close down the only military base in Ohio that hasnt already been BRAC'd.
Close the base and put 30,000 people out of work.
Ohio is too close for that and WPAFB isnt as horrible as some other bases I have been too.
Voinovich doesn't appear too certain of that assessment.
I am certain you are more knowledgeable than I am of what is on that particular base, but I do happen to be in favor of closing some of these bases. No matter which are shut down people are going to either be out of work or transferred. It's reality.
I don't wish unemployment on you personally, but my stance is that some of these bases have become little more than alternative ways to bring more government spending home for votes. I'm also quite aware some of these senators have been throwing hissy fits at the prospect, that is why the attacks on Rumsfeld earlier. This is why I'm inclined to believe this is what has motivated Voinovich.
As to why I would favor shutting down this base, I think Voinovich's actions speak clearly. I want him punished. I desire vengance.
However, I assume the Administration will not put people out of a work to execute a vendetta. As I do not work for the administration, if this base is shut down it would be due to other factors than Voinovich or my emotions.
You seem to forget that Ohio elected GW Bush and is a very red state.
Ohio shares a Lake Erie border with Canada. It probably takes about 3 hours by car to drive to Ontario and about 5 minutes by military jet from wright paterson to toronto.
Besides, if you knew anything about military history, you set up a skirmish line and behind the line you have a mass of troops waiting to squash an enemy breakout or to initiate a breakout of your own.
You never, never put all your assets on the front lines.
I agree. Pulling the "pet projects" of Senators that won't vote for nominations should have been done literally years ago. That is politics. That is how you enforce party discipline. You don't do it on every issue, only the ones that are vitally important. Judges qualify.
Three things
Now, the "Ohio shares a Lake Erie border with Canada. " stuff is closer to the mark as a good argument to keep bases somewhere there in order to keep the ravening hordes of Canucks from sweeping down from the Great White North. However, they'd have to go across that nice little moat, so we need Naval power more than military bases.
I'd suggest ironclads or, better yet, retired Ohio Class subs.
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