Workers, politicians rally in Kittery (Base closings)

Portland Press Herald ^ | 05/16/05 | Kevin Wack

[Fido969]

Workers, politicians rally in Kittery

KITTERY - Workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard will not quietly let their shipyard be closed.

Hundreds of defiant employees rallied Monday at the gates of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, three days after Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld announced plans to close the historic base.

The shipworkers waved signs, led chants and cheered politicians who vowed to challenge the Pentagon's decision.

"There isn't a single worker in this shipyard who's giving up the fight," said Rep. Tom Allen, D-Maine. "And there isn't a single member of this delegation who's giving the fight."

Allen was joined on a chilly, drizzly morning by Sens. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, Rep. Michael Michaud, D-Maine, Maine Gov. John Baldacci, and their counterparts from New Hampshire.

The politicians spoke with one voice - whether Democrat or Republican, from Maine or New Hampshire - hammering away at mantras they have been repeating for months.

[Fido969]

This is just Baldassi covering his ass for the economic disaster that the 'rats created in Maine. Now he'll say: "It's all Bush's fault".

[Fledermaus]

No offense to all of you wonderful conservatives living in Maine...but F Maine!!!

I hope they lose all military funding. Take that Collins and Snowe. Take that iron workers in Bathe that strike over 25 cents an hour or an increase in their portion of health insurance by about $10 a month.

[Fido969]

[LibFreeOrDie]

There are 4,800 civilian workers at the Shipyard - I'm assuming most are union.

The Maine pols wanted the Shipyard declared Maine territory - and collected income tax from all those workers, including NH residents - so now Maine has to cough up the unemployment checks.

[Fido969]

Ooops.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Isn't irony and Poetic Justice great ?
This what the liberal Northeast States get for being Liberals as in " the squeaky wheel gets the oil " as in their protest against the military and military spending, and anti military ilk.
This serves them right, the military is going south were they are appreciated and loved.

[conshack]

I hope they lose all military funding. Take that Collins and Snowe. Take that iron workers in Bathe that strike over 25 cents an hour or an increase in their portion of health insurance by about $10 a month.

Guess ole RINO Cohen no longer can use his influence to keep it open. I agree, it serves them right. They can thank Collins and Snowe for this.

[dakine]

I'll know it is really about "national defense" when I see a Senator/Congressman protest/rally against the closing of a military site in a state that they do not represent.

Until then, it is all hot air....