The Chicago Way (W.H. Threatens Nelson with AFB Closure)

Investor's Business daily ^ | December 16, 2009 | IBD Editorial Staff

[raptor22]

Politics: If the Democrats' stitched-together Frankenstein monster of health care reform gets the 60 votes to get through the Senate, it will have been done through an assortment of bribes and brass knuckles. (snip) Sen. Ben Nelson, a Nebraska Democrat, has also been critical of the buy-in and public option, but he has an additional issue about whatever comes out of the Senate not involving public funding of abortion in any way. Michael Goldfarb on the Weekly Standard blog quotes a Senate aide as saying the White House is now threatening to put Nebraska's Offutt Air Force Base on the base closure and realignment list if Nelson doesn't fall into line.

Offutt is the headquarters for the U.S. Strategic Command, successor to the Strategic Air Command. STRATCOM was situated in the middle of the country for strategic reasons. Offutt Air Force Base employs some 10,000 military and federal employees in southeast Nebraska. Its closure would be a major blow to the state's economy and would amount to playing politics with our national security.

[raybbr]

...and would amount to playing politics with our national security.

I feel sorry for the people that think Obama will lose any sleep over this.

These people in the WH don't care about U.S. security.

[Rodebrecht]

It’s really messed up that Obama can do something like this in plain sight. Not that I expected anything else. That said, if I were Nelson, I’d take the chance. It’s the right thing to do, IMO.

[BooBoo1000]

The Generals would get a real kick out of this. OBummo could not even close the dog kennel at Offitt AFB. If this post is true, Obummo must be smoking some exotic weed.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Barry couldn't do it. Period.
Empty threat, if true.

[A_Former_Democrat]

TIME TO GET THESE MF’S OUT OF HERE FOLKS

[IrishPennant]

Agreed..this came from Rahm. I want 30 seconds alone with that POS. I would love to “Explain” the American Way versus the “Chicago Thug” way of government.

[Rodebrecht]

I’m certain he doesn’t have the power to just close a military base. What I meant was his threatening the senator like some thug with nary a peep from the media or public.

[Don Corleone]

It is TREASON!!!!

[Secret Agent Man]

I am very serious about this to everyone here. Keep praying sincerely for God to remove Obama from office ASAP, whatever way He decides to.

[LasVegasMac]

Sen Nelson, you are in a perfect position to stop this crap.

Go public right now, any state run media that will listen, Fox News, tons and tons of local advertisement explaining your position and the fact that Zero is using Offut as a political chip, etc....

I am from that area. People in Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota, Colorado know why Offut is there. Many have worked there.

Advertise this.........!!!!!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

We only have to stall for another few months. Then this sh*t will be over.

[SunkenCiv]

• Dems Offer Nelson up to $500 Billion, er Million in Earmarks to Vote Yes
• White House Threatens to Close Offutt Air Force Base If Nelson Doesn't Vote for Obamacare
• Nelson Aide: Offutt Claim False (Also Denies Obama "Bribe") (Update at #8)
• Roland Burris May Put Kink in Obama-Democrats' Plan for 60 Votes on Health Care

[nutmeg]

Excerpt:

Politics: If the Democrats' stitched-together Frankenstein monster of health care reform gets the 60 votes to get through the Senate, it will have been done through an assortment of bribes and brass knuckles. (snip) Sen. Ben Nelson, a Nebraska Democrat, has also been critical of the buy-in and public option, but he has an additional issue about whatever comes out of the Senate not involving public funding of abortion in any way. Michael Goldfarb on the Weekly Standard blog quotes a Senate aide as saying the White House is now threatening to put Nebraska's Offutt Air Force Base on the base closure and realignment list if Nelson doesn't fall into line.

Offutt is the headquarters for the U.S. Strategic Command, successor to the Strategic Air Command. STRATCOM was situated in the middle of the country for strategic reasons. Offutt Air Force Base employs some 10,000 military and federal employees in southeast Nebraska. Its closure would be a major blow to the state's economy and would amount to playing politics with our national security...

[supremedoctrine]

Elsewhere, today, the WH has called this “rumor” or “charge” untrue and ‘absurd’. I have no way of knowing, but it’s certainly not out of the question for Rahm Emanuel to say something like this “as an idea” in order to convey
how determined he was to get Nelson’s vote.It remains “just an idea” or an “empty threat”, right up to the moment it’s actually done. At this point, though the story’s only gotten minimal attention from the MSM (or none?), Nelson could safely go ahead and vote against the White House, then, if Orfutt gets put on the BARC list, it would be utterly incriminating to this White House, which, amazingly, STILL seems to think it can get away with this crap whenever they want to, with impunity.

[GOPJ]

Its closure would be a major blow to the state's economy and would amount to playing politics with our national security... It's closure would also be a major blow to the security of the nation...

[GOPJ]

What's next? Will dems threaten to blow up the Statue of Liberty if they don't get more support for this bill?

[GOPJ]

Its closure would be a major blow to the state's economy and would amount to playing politics with our national security.

bump to the top

[CottShop]

Why isn;’t Nelson comingo ut in public and revealing this? He should be informing the public that he is being essentially threatened simpyl because he doesn’t agree with the president-

[Art in Idaho]

If discovered to be true, does this fall under "High Crimes and Misdemeanors"?