[Koblenz]

We should have no more bases than necessary for the defense of our nation. The point of the military is, after all, to provide defense, not jobs or make-work in certain communities. I don't know all the pros and cons of Groton versus Norfolk, but do we really need both?

[BlackElk]

Of all the make-work projects that ought to be defunded, let the military be the very last. A certain amount of military redundancy is necessary and desireable. If facilities at one location are destroyed or crippled, the other takes up some slack. With only one facility, you can be out of business on a vital matter like nuclear fast attack subs or boomers, for that matter.

Our government is generally bloated beyond the imagination of mere humans. It is going to be a very big and long task to trim it down to constitutional size. The cuts should hit the military last. I also have no problem letting South Dakota know what a wise choice they made in electing John Thune, letting the likes of Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins and Lincoln Chafee and Arlen Spector and Chuck Hegel and George Voinovich know what happens if they defect on the constitutional option (not explicitly but let them worry), and, similarly, let Joe Lieberman, Ben Nelson, Mary Landrieu, and the Arkansas Democrat Senators see that there may be a relationship between the constitutional option and the fate of programs in their states. Those who pose for holy pictures wanting "to take the politics out of" whatever, are saying,giovernment decisions are nione of the public's business.

We need to bring Uzis to the Constitutional Option knife fight. We need to stand behind the military 1000%.