What is with this arbitrary base closings?

[Toots]

I seem to remember back in Reagans day it was decided base closings could not be politicized by closing those in Republican or Democratic districts. A bipartison committee was formed to decide what bases would be closed if in fact any needed to be. It was supposed to be taken completely out of the Administration's or Congress's hands. What gives?

[bookman]

1. That was back...

..when we had more than one party. :)

[Cleita]

2. Tinfoil hat theory.

They are moving our armed forces to the fourteen they are building in Iraq?

:tinfoilhat:

[Vincardog]

3. They are announcing a LOT of closings so the radical right wing congress

critters can SAVE theirs and be heroes. Remember propaganda trumps truth with the Radical Right wing nuts.

[punpirate]

4. That system is supposedly still in place...

... try Googling "BRAC."

The listings published today are DoD's recommendations to the commission. They can modify this list. Then the list goes to Bush in September and he has a couple of weeks to accept it and send it to Congress, or reject it and send it back to the committee.

It's still a highly political process, but perhaps a little less so than it once was. This particular commission, however, is headed by Anthony Principi, who is a Bush toady, and a corporate flack.

[Toots]

6. Thank you I appreciate the information

Makes me feel like a dummy for not knowing this but now I do ...Thank you..
went to BRAC interesting....


Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Army Gen. Henry H. Shelton, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the House Armed Services Committee in July 2001 that the Pentagon maintained 25 percent more facilities than it needs,
<snip>
BRAC 2005
? March 15: President Bush to name members of the fifth Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) commission.
? May 16: Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to give the BRAC commission and Congress the Pentagon’s recommendations for military facilities that should be closed.
? Sept. 8: BRAC commission to make its own base closure recommendations.
? Sept. 23: Presidential decision on whether to accept or reject the BRAC recommendations in their entirety — the White House’s only options. If Bush accepts the plan, it becomes final within 45 legislative days, unless Congress passes a joint resolution to block the entire package.
? Oct. 20: If Bush rejects the BRAC recommendations, the commission has until this date to submit a revised list of proposed closures.
? Nov. 7: President to approve or disapprove the revised recommendations.
? April 15, 2006: The commission terminates
Commissioners
? Anthony J. Principi, former Secretary of Veterans Affairs (2001-2005)
? James H. Bilbray, a former Democratic House member from Nevada (1987-95)
? Philip Coyle of California, a former assistant secretary of Defense
? Ret. Adm. Harold W. Gehman of Virginia, a former NATO Supreme Allied Commander
? James V. Hansen of Utah, a former Republican House member (1981-2003)
? Ret. Army Gen. James T. Hill of Florida
? Ret. Army Lt. General Claude M. Kicklighter of Georgia
? Samuel Knox Skinner of Illinois, a former Secretary of Transportation
? Ret. Air Force Brigadier General Sue Ellen Turner of Texas
? ***NOTE - Commissioners have not been approved by the Senate yet

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/brac.htm

[MADem]

5. Texas gains THOUSANDS of jobs in those closings

Look at the JOBS numbers, they tell the tale. New Jersey,CT, NH/Maine are getting screwed six ways to Sunday.

Shutting a two man office in a hundred year old leaky building counts as a "facility" but the jobs tell the tale.