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.
Considering the size of South Dakota, closing the base probably would have caused severe pain for the citizens within. I do think the best thing Thune could really do for his state is to help them start to structure so they aren't dependent on this base over the long haul.
While I'm still furious with Thune over his actions concerning Bolton, I DO think from a political sense this is very good news. he's still better than daschle AND, more importantly, when we're petitioning citizens to remove a person that brings home the pork (like Byrd) we are asking they sacrifice. Only fair they get something in return for that sacrifice. For South Dakota, removing Daschle=this base kept open. It's a fair trade, imo, and can be used as leverage in removing Byrd from office by stating this an example they won't be left high and dry if they vote him out.
To you what..I'll OK us keeping the base open if they plan on using the bombers more often. Deal?
Social Security is PURE socialism...
Socialism is slavery by government..
Socialism is a symptom of democracy.. Democracy is the social disease..
America is NO democracy..
Democracy is Mob Rule as is Monarchy, Oligarcy, Autocracy, Plutrocracy and several more 'ocracys.. as is a dictatorship and Sharia Law too..
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Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide. – John Adams (1814)
Democracy is the road to socialism. Karl Marx
Democracy is indispensable to socialism. The goal of socialism is communism. V.I. Lenin
The meaning of peace is the absence of opposition to socialism.- Karl Marx
We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.~Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
yeah!!!!!!!!!!
Of course, there's a cynical side of me that says Ellsworth was originally slated for closure just so it could later be taken off the list -- at Thune's insistence, of course.
How about loyalty to a grassroots effort across the country to knock Daschle off? You do realize it wasn't just an effort by South Dakotans to elect Thune, right?
He clumsily offered aid to the Kerry's, the Boxer's and everyone against a strong defense in the U.N. by doing as he did and standing back as Bolton was treated with disrespect for being a staunch defender of this country and he KNEW it wasn't right when he did it. It was politics at its most hated denominator.
No, I don't find that justified and I find it a slap in the face given I and others out of the state had a hand in getting him that seat as well.
NOR, is he justified at the slap to the President that helped pull him across the finish line or even the Senate majority Leader Frist that broke tradition and campaigned on his behalf against the Minority Leader, something NOT done.
I AM angry at him still, and I'm justified in my anger. Feel differently as you wish.
"To: Kitanis
Looks like you're saved. Now you don't have to pack up and move next year. That's one less pain in the a** to deal with."
Very True
It also makes it easier to work on the base and get projects done that everyone was putting off because the uncertin future. Guess I will retire out from here when I finish out.
I myself feel a great sense of relief for a good friend who owns a buisness right outside of the gate.
Ok.. I am active duty on the Ellsworth.. I am not supposed to be a "supporter" to keep the base open as per HQ USAF policy.
But I am just happy that I will not become a caretaker for the base after the bombers would have left.
I vote outside of the state of SD. But as far as the Thune to Daschle debate.. I look at it this way.. If Tom Daschle was such a big supporter of the State of South Dakota and Ellsworth AFB.. Then why is he now working for a law firm in Atlanta, GA and moved to a residence there?
I swear there are alot of folks around the area who do not pay attention to what their own representatives do or have done :-)
Ok, nice quotes, but what does that have to do with the price of tea in china? Or SS?
The interesting thing is that Cannon and Ellsworth have no issues with the local town building around them. Both are remote enough to stand urban situations for 100 years. When you look back at Myrtle Beach or Homestead...both were being surrounded. And there are numerous bases on the east coast which will face issues over the next ten years. Both of these bases will likely be around for years and years. You can't say that for McGuire.
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