Posted on 08/26/2005 6:57:26 AM PDT by CedarDave
Commission Votes to Save Ellsworth Base
By LIZ SIDOTI Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The base closing commission voted Friday to keep open Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota - rejecting the Pentagon's plan to close it - as the panel labored toward conclusion of a politically delicate task that has brought alternating sighs of relief and exasperation in communities across America.
The surprise decision was a setback for Pentagon leaders, a blessing for South Dakotans who feared losing some 4,000 jobs, and a victory for Sen. John Thune and the state's other politicians who lobbied vigorously to save the base. Thune, a freshman Republican, unseated then-Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle partly on the strength of his claim he could help save the base.
As it made decisions this week on the first round of base closings in a decade, commissioners also bucked Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld by voting to keep open two major Navy bases in New England - a submarine base in Connecticut and a shipyard in Maine. Other contentious issues in the Air Force restructuring remained to be heard later Friday.
Ellsworth, most famous for its Cold War-era arsenal of missiles and nuclear bombers aimed toward the Soviet Union, is home to half the nation's fleet of B1-B bombers. The Pentagon had wanted to move all the bombers at their other location, Dyess Air Force Base in Texas.
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But the commission found that closing Ellsworth wouldn't save any money over 20 years, and that it actually would cost nearly $20 million to move the planes to the Texas base. The Pentagon had projected saving $1.8 billion over two decades with the closure.
"We have no savings, we're essentially moving the airplanes from one very, very good base to another very, very good base, which are essentially equal," commissioner Harold Gehman said about the proposal.
As the commission voted, Thune smiled as he accepted handshakes of congratulations from other lawmakers, including New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who was awaiting a decision on the proposed closure of Cannon Air Force Base in his state. Thune said the decision was not political.
"Obviously our arguments got through. The current and future value of Ellsworth Air Force base got through," he said moments after the vote.
"They've taken an oath to defend the country"
You need to get your facts straight......first of all, I am not a "civilian" here. My husband is retired AF after 26.5 years so we utilize the base. Next, it would have been a very dumb move strategically to move all B1's to one location. Second, re-read my last post regardug the training efficiency ratings from Ellsworth to efficiency ratings at Dyess AFB. Also, like my last post noted, the Pentagon did not, I repeat not, take into account 4 out of the 6 criteria that they were supposed to when putting a base on a closing list. .
And next, if the Pentagon "has taken an oath to defend the country" as you stated, then why did they let the ball drop and lying thru their teeth right now about Able Danger????????????
Congrats to your husband. Like him I'm retired Air Force and like you I'm now a "civilian". Did it ever occur to you that the Pentagon has information that may not be publicly releasable as to why they made an informed decision to close Ellsworth? As for lying through their teeth when it comes to Able Danger, if the facts are there it will come out. Ask yourself, why would Rumsfeld and his staff lie about Able Danger or is he in on the conspiracy too?
"Glad to hear it. I spent three years at Ellsworth and have many fond memories of the area."
When were you there? I was there from 1980-1983. Did you ever get out to the Rendevous Room or the Barbarian? IIRC the bar across the streeet from the Rendevous had 3.2 beer.
And I have my Wall drug jackalope and my SCS key from 0scar 8.
The commission just kicked the can down the road at Cannon AFB. Voted to keep the base open until 2009, but with no mission. Tells the DOD to re-evaluate the base for future missions given its assets of open space, no encroachment, etc.
Vote was 6 in favor, 1 opposed, 2 recusals
I was there from 1983 to 1986. Was the Rendezvous Room in downtown Rapid City? I've been there a couple of times if I'm thinking of the same one. I lived in base housing so when I went to bars it was like the Box Elder Lounge and other not so...ahem...upscale joints nearer the base. My job (computer repair) took me down to the LCF's (the capsules), but not the silos.
My family and I took a trip back there about 10 years ago. Quite a bit changed...they had torn down the base housing where we lived so that was kind of sad.
Well both of my parents have gotten their money back on SS.
Good for them. You understand there is a big difference between savings and Social Security?
That's a shame about the base housing. I did like fishing in lake 2. The RR was in downtown Rapid City, I think it was in a motel.
Did you ever go to the liquor store when you first drove into RC from the highway? It had the pictures of the floods. There was a picture of a bunch of cars piled up. Was pretty cool.
However, it does help those who don't know how to save and spend every cent they have. As I said SS can use some tweaks (like turn it into a real retirement savings instead of insurance fund).
Try running an insurance company like Social Security. Then try staying out of jail.
As I said SS can use some tweaks (like turn it into a real retirement savings instead of insurance fund a Ponzi scheme).
I'll agree with that!!
The concept of Social Security is fine, but as usual the implementation of this concept by congress has been very poor and shortsighted. Payroll taxes on the earlier retirees needed to be much higher to build up funds to pay most of their benefits. SS was a windfall for the earlier retirees who ended up getting back five to fifteen times what they paid into the program, even when adding years of interest payments onto their tax payments. Now we're paying for this massive early generosity, because all through the 60's and 70's workers were not building up funds for their retirement but instead their taxes were going directly to the earlier retirees. SS has suffered from a complete management cluster f### by congress.
"As for lying through their teeth when it comes to Able Danger, if the facts are there it will come out. Ask yourself, why would Rumsfeld and his staff lie about Able Danger or is he in on the conspiracy too?"
Able Danger was not even being talked about at the time Runsfeld and his staff decided which bases should go on the list to be closed. And yes, you are correct, I also hope all the facts come out about Able Danger. The American people need to know the complete truth no matter who goes down.
I believe that was LBJ.
Try doing many gov't functions and staying out of jail. Like why not raise an army and attack a foreign country. Or start your own police force and arrest people.
I heard once on Limbaugh's show that LBJ started the "Unified Budget." (BS terminology to cover up an accounting trick.) But I remember reading years ago in the Time/Life yearbook for 1970 that Nixon started the practice of combining social security into the federal budget, and the Nixonites coined the phrase "Unified Budget." Well anway, it was one of those two presidents back in the 1967-70 era. The "Unified Budget" was a bad idea.
I agree with you. Why doesn't Bush just open 100 military bases in EVERY state? That way, unemployement can go to 2% and Republicans can STILL get no credit for it. There has to be a cheaper way to run our military than kowtowing to local Senators of both parties.
"Will Thune stop acting like a little girl now?"
Politics ain't beanbag. If I were Thune, I would have done the same thing. The Bush Admin totally undermined him, after he did them the favor of running against Daschle and beat him (partially because of his stand on being able to save Ellsworth airforce base). So now we have a Pub in the SD seat, and little Tommy Daschle is a goner.
But then Bush/Rumsfeld go and put Ellsworth on the closure list. For no good reason at all. The Commission said there would be no savings, in fact there would be expenses in moving the planes to Texas (funny that, to Texas, Bush's home state). The Commission saw through the politics of this and saved Ellsworth. Thune tit for tatted Bush's rotten turncoat move of allowing Rummy to put Ellsworth on the list for closure, by not supporting Bolton's nomination to the U.N. Thune had to pick a place to make his stand that would directly and pointedly show his disgust for what Bush did, and Bolton was it. Now, Thune's opposition didn't make any difference as the Dems were going to block Bolton no matter what. But Thune got his point across, if you go up against me, I've got ways to strike back, Mr. President. He was politically smart, and Bush was politically dumb by allowing Ellsworth to be put on the list. And now Thune has an extra good looking victory by saving Ellsworth without Bush's help, which will make him look good to all voters in SD, dems, independents, and pubs alike. Thune will now be a shoo-in for re-election, and Daschle will now fade into oblivion. Bravo, Mr. Thune. You have my respect for playing your cards well.
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