IMHO, the best closure... even though it affects me in New Hampshire ... is the shot across to bow to Maine's Olympia Snowe. The loss of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard will generate major hurt to Maine's economy (somewhat less to New Hampshire... our economic base is more stable).
It's widely rumored that Snowe will be voting against Bolton, and will vote against the "nuclear" option in the Senate to restore constitutionally-mandated procedures.
Too f'n bad.... That's what happens when you toss a turd in the Big Boy's punchbowl.
Agreed, closing Portsmouth is long overdue. The whole area is lousy with Blue-types. However, it is unfortunate that mASS. wasn't harder hit. From what I heard reported in the news yesterday, while they closed some facilities Kennedy-Kerry-Frank-land ends up with a net gain in jobs. I guess Bush wanted to protect his Kennedy buddy. On the other hand, maybe he wanted to give some cover to Gov. Romney - the mASS. political Eunoch!