White House Threatens to Close Offutt Air Force Base If Nelson Doesn’t Vote for Obamacare

stoptheaclu ^ | 12/15/09 | stoptheaclu

[American Dream 246]

Quite an explosive leak! I wonder how this will affect things? It is certainly a thuggish and dangerous thing for Obama to play with National Security over this craptacular idea of socialized medicine. Quite a desperate move.

According to a Senate aide, the White House is now threatening to put Nebraska’s Offutt Air Force Base on the BRAC list if Nelson doesn’t fall into line. Offutt Air Force Base employs some 10,000 military and federal employees in Southeastern Nebraska. As our source put it, this is a “naked effort by Rahm Emanuel and the White House to extort Nelson’s vote.” They are “threatening to close a base vital to national security for what?” asked the Senate staffer.

Indeed, Offutt is the headquarters for US Strategic Command, the successor to Strategic Air Command, and not by accident. STRATCOM was located in the middle of the country for strategic reasons. Its closure would be a massive blow to the economy of the state of Nebraska, but it would also be another example of this administration playing politics with our national security.

So much for the idea of Obama trying to save jobs and improve the economy!

Without Nelson’s vote, since all Republicans are still in line to oppose this, Reid is still left with 59 votes. So, some arm twisting is taking place. Nelson doesn’t want this bill to fund abortions so he is now being threatened, and national security along with him. How shameful this would be if Democrats felt shame.

Ed Morrissey:

The Obama administration has little left to use for leverage. Why not national security? After all, if we’re going to bring terrorists into Illinois, what does it matter if we put the US Strategic Command on wheels for a few years?

What a nightmare!

[Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!]

UNBELIEVABLE!

White House Threatens to Close Offutt Air Force Base If Nelson Doesn’t Vote for Obamacare

http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/12/source_dems_threaten_nelson_in_1.asp

[Defiant]

I don’t think we should give Sen. Nelson or Blanche Lincoln or any of the other so-called “moderate” Democrats (whose first vote every term is for Harry Reid as Majority Leader) any notion that voting against Obama’s health care will save their seats. They are all going down regardless.

[taraytarah]

[Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!]

See the link in my last post.

UNBELIEVABLE!!!

[panaxanax]

“....a little bit” is probably true. If you weren’t a commanding officer, then that’s all they allowed you to know, a little bit.

[Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!]

Well said!

[MountainDad]

>>>>I was stationed there for a year after the cold war ended, so I do know a little bit about the place.<<<<

Did you ever go to "Tooter's"?

[FreeReign]

Sounds kinda like the tactics John Thune used during the Bolton nomination (play politics with national security to get your way on your little pet issue), except in reverse mode (Thune promised to vote down Bolton unless his state's air force base was kept OPEN after the pentagon had decided they didn't need it) Of course when Bolton played held national security hostage to get his way a bunch of freepers tell us there's nothing to be concerned about, Thune is a great conservative and deserves a promotion on a presidential ticket.

Thune actions were bad, Obama's are worse.

[onyx]

Nelson Aide: Offutt Claim False - Also Denies Obama "Bribe" - Update at #8

UNBELIEVABLE !!!!!!!!!!

[Tzimisce]

Democrats: Clowning around with our National Security. :D

[ReformedBeckite]

Did you ever go to "Tooter's"?

No I never went there.

[ReformedBeckite]

Northrop G. and Lockheed M. have also built new facilities nearby recently.

I can see that as maybe being a reason to not close the base, depending on what they are makeing at the facilities.

[Nachum]

Thanks for the link. I have put it up on the website next to the “rumor” source.

[El Gato]

What are they so afraid of.

Waking up with a horses head in their bed?

[MSF BU]

They will lose a bunch in the house over abortion.

[Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!]

go here and what do you think post #26

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2408349/posts

[Al B.]

I hope you’re right. I don’t have a good feel for how strong the pro-life Dem caucus is over there.

[OKSooner]

Call their bluff on it. Either way they lose.

[GAB-1955]

In 2011 and 2013, Congress should impose an “Obama fine” on Chicago - cut federal funding to the city and tell them it’s because they supported Obama. Payback.

[Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!]

Thanks. See my reply # 26

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2408349/posts