U.S. Base Closings:4-2-05 Bush appoints Committee while Senate away, Trent Lott objects

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
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This is probably just more of the same Political postering but I find it a little odd to see a major Republican player going up against Bush.

Will this tactic prevent any bases in his home State from getting the Ax???

We shall see.

4-2-2005 Bush Appoints Commission on Base Closings

President Bush, brushing aside a stall tactic by Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., appointed the nine-member commission that will determine military bases closings without waiting for Senate confirmation.

Bush made the appointments while the Senate was in recess, the White House announced Friday night. The recess appointments prevent delays as the commission prepares to make the first round of base closings in a decade.

Lott ? who opposes base closures and has pledged to protect military facilities in his home state ? placed a "hold" on Principi's nomination, according to aides and lobbyists speaking on condition of anonymity

Lott has said the United States should not be closing bases while troops are at war. "I will try to stop it at any point and in any way I possibly can," he said in February.

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld must recommend bases for closure or consolidation by May 16.
===========================================

Who sets these deadlines and who enforces them???



 

EagleKeeper

Discussion Club Moderator<br>Elite Member
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Oct 30, 2000
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Originally posted by: BlueWeasel
Is there a list of the bases that could be potentially closed?

That is what the commission is intended to do; come up with a potential list of bases that are considered to be unneeded. This is supposed to remove the political influence and allow a yea/nay vote on the total list.

Lott is just posturing.

Closing a base removes the logistic support behind the base, the capabilites will be transfered to another base (somewhat determiend by capacity and also by policial pull).

Example. Three taining bases have tech schools. Closing one base will then move the divide the tech schools among the other two. Most bases will have the capaciity to absorb the extra work, and gladly accept it.

To ask a base to absorb the load of two closings will not work, their internal infrstructure will break under that load if the transfer happens without excessive preparation.

 

CaptnKirk

Lifer
Jul 25, 2002
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Just hope that he dosen't close ALL the bases, and outsource our countries defense to Halliburton . . .
 

Yellow Dog

Banned
Apr 1, 2005
256
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Gotta close the US bases cause there are many countries that must be invaded and bases opened there. We have had bases in Korea for 50+ years, bases for 2+ years in Iraq, is Iran next?
 

BlueWeasel

Lifer
Jun 2, 2000
15,943
475
126
Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Originally posted by: BlueWeasel
Is there a list of the bases that could be potentially closed?

That is what the commission is intended to do; come up with a potential list of bases that are considered to be unneeded. This is supposed to remove the political influence and allow a yea/nay vote on the total list.

Lott is just posturing.

Closing a base removes the logistic support behind the base, the capabilites will be transfered to another base (somewhat determiend by capacity and also by policial pull).

Example. Three taining bases have tech schools. Closing one base will then move the divide the tech schools among the other two. Most bases will have the capaciity to absorb the extra work, and gladly accept it.

To ask a base to absorb the load of two closings will not work, their internal infrstructure will break under that load if the transfer happens without excessive preparation.


Ahh..thanks.

Being from Mississippi myself, it seems as though Lott wouldn't pull this unless he thought big closings were coming in his home state. Then again, we been hearing about Mississippi base closings for years now. :)
 

Trevelyan

Diamond Member
Dec 10, 2000
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I think it's a good idea to have a separate commission, otherwise of course every Senator will try to protect his own state's bases.
 

dannybin1742

Platinum Member
Jan 16, 2002
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this just keeps getting better an better, anything but repeal the tax cut to fix the budget..... gotta protect those campaign financers........

there are a few things that this governement can do to fix our financial woes

1) repeal the bush tax cut on the top 1%
2) make offshoring illegal
3) go after companies that aren't paying taxes (look at the stats, its pretty sad how few companys actually pay taxes now as compared to 20 years ago)
4) cut governmental spending on military projects that do not benefit us an any way
5) decommission all cold war weapons that are of no use to us anymore (estimated use of current military bugdet puts it at 10-15%)
6) reward efficienct spending in the military (right now its set up so that if a branch does not spend all its money, the money get cut, thats why they send some of my friends who are in the marines out into the desert where they are stationed to waste bullets- or as they call it, rattlesnake hunting)
7) heavily invest in fuel cell/hydrogen research, way to modify current technology to make vehicles more efficient, this can be in corporate or academic, just as long as they show results

are there any republicans that agree with any of these? are they somwhat reasonable?

 

miketheidiot

Lifer
Sep 3, 2004
11,060
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Originally posted by: Trevelyan
I think it's a good idea to have a separate commission, otherwise of course every Senator will try to protect his own state's bases.

so instead we should have a bunch of people who are accountable to noone do the deciding. :thumbsup:
 

EagleKeeper

Discussion Club Moderator<br>Elite Member
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Oct 30, 2000
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Originally posted by: Trevelyan
I think it's a good idea to have a separate commission, otherwise of course every Senator will try to protect his own state's bases.

That is why the BRAC was set up.

Congress realized the turf protection would come before the military needs/requirements.
When the military originally listed unneeded bases,there was a massive furor in Congress on how important this and that base was.

None were initially closed down.

Now they can do what is needed without have to be "accountable".
the commission works with the military in determining undeeded bases and how to transfer functions.

When most bases close, they are then turned over to the local community. Premade business parks, airstrips and housing infrastructure. Actually is a boon to the local economy.

Very few base closings result in a long term ghost town setup.
 

Kerouactivist

Diamond Member
Jul 12, 2001
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I wonder if the most of the base closings will be in red or blue states.....
Hmmm


either way no missourian on the committee meaning bye bye to at least one missouri base...I'm predicting whiteman AFB....moving the b-2 elsewhere...
 

CaptnKirk

Lifer
Jul 25, 2002
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To be honest, I am stunned by the amount of bases that have been closed since I was an active duty serviceman.

Bases that I visited, and had work related dealings with, some that I was station at - history.

In retrospect, I guesss we didn't really need them, but then again - by their presence in that day and age what they prevented can never be rightly measured . . can it ?
 

EagleKeeper

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Oct 30, 2000
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Originally posted by: bthorny
I wonder if the most of the base closings will be in red or blue states.....
Hmmm


either way no missourian on the committee meaning bye bye to at least one missouri base...I'm predicting whiteman AFB....moving the b-2 elsewhere...
Base closings are not usually political. That is the reasoning for the BRAC.

With the exception of CA, most of the blue states have few bases.


 

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
54,889
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Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Originally posted by: bthorny
I wonder if the most of the base closings will be in red or blue states.....
Hmmm

either way no missourian on the committee meaning bye bye to at least one missouri base...I'm predicting whiteman AFB....moving the b-2 elsewhere...
Base closings are not usually political. That is the reasoning for the BRAC.

With the exception of CA, most of the blue states have few bases.

Well since there is so few bases in Blue States, we could expect Red States to suffer :cool:
 

AndrewR

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
11,157
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There is a need to remove smaller, inefficient bases. I can think of several off the top of my head, and those are simply from an Air Force perspective. I imagine the Army and Navy are about the same (Marines don't have too many installations, probably not a lot of waste there).

The folks in Congress are only concerned with keeping bases open in their districts without regard to any military necessity. Lott is no different from any other Republican or Democrat who will try to defend their "turf". It's quite stupid really -- reference the recent spat over the retirement of the USS John F. Kennedy.

The BRAC list is supposed to be released in May. Should be interesting -- please let Goodfellow AFB be on there.
 

Yellow Dog

Banned
Apr 1, 2005
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Originally posted by: Trevelyan
I think it's a good idea to have a separate commission, otherwise of course every Senator will try to protect his own state's bases.

Oh yea, like that is going to happen.:disgust: Want to see them senators and congresmen start frothing at the mouth, just mention cutting something in their state
 

digitalsm

Diamond Member
Jul 11, 2003
5,253
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Originally posted by: dmcowen674
This is probably just more of the same Political postering but I find it a little odd to see a major Republican player going up against Bush.

Will this tactic prevent any bases in his home State from getting the Ax???

We shall see.

4-2-2005 Bush Appoints Commission on Base Closings

President Bush, brushing aside a stall tactic by Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., appointed the nine-member commission that will determine military bases closings without waiting for Senate confirmation.

Bush made the appointments while the Senate was in recess, the White House announced Friday night. The recess appointments prevent delays as the commission prepares to make the first round of base closings in a decade.

Lott ? who opposes base closures and has pledged to protect military facilities in his home state ? placed a "hold" on Principi's nomination, according to aides and lobbyists speaking on condition of anonymity

Lott has said the United States should not be closing bases while troops are at war. "I will try to stop it at any point and in any way I possibly can," he said in February.

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld must recommend bases for closure or consolidation by May 16.
===========================================

Who sets these deadlines and who enforces them???

Yes we SHOULD be closing bases. We have to many bases and right now there is just to much in overhead costs to keep them all running. We could save $30-60billion a year. Keeping uneeded bases open is just federal welfare for local communities. San Antonio has a few that could be shut down IMHO.
 

digitalsm

Diamond Member
Jul 11, 2003
5,253
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0
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
This is probably just more of the same Political postering but I find it a little odd to see a major Republican player going up against Bush.

Will this tactic prevent any bases in his home State from getting the Ax???

We shall see.

4-2-2005 Bush Appoints Commission on Base Closings

President Bush, brushing aside a stall tactic by Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., appointed the nine-member commission that will determine military bases closings without waiting for Senate confirmation.

Bush made the appointments while the Senate was in recess, the White House announced Friday night. The recess appointments prevent delays as the commission prepares to make the first round of base closings in a decade.

Lott ? who opposes base closures and has pledged to protect military facilities in his home state ? placed a "hold" on Principi's nomination, according to aides and lobbyists speaking on condition of anonymity

Lott has said the United States should not be closing bases while troops are at war. "I will try to stop it at any point and in any way I possibly can," he said in February.

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld must recommend bases for closure or consolidation by May 16.
===========================================

Who sets these deadlines and who enforces them???

These deadlines were set prior to the Bush admin, although I do believe the Bush admin pushed them back to now(they were set for an earlier date). Congress already approve base closures in 2005, Lott is a political hack/tool. Right now its all a matter of which ones are closing.
 

surreal1221

Golden Member
Mar 12, 2005
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Every couple of years a list comes out. The BRAC list. Base Realignment and Closure list, this is not anything new, and a number of the bases on the 2005 list have been on the list for over 10-15 years, but State help has kept a number of them open.

But yes, under this President, a number of these locations will become closed due to budget constraints w/ his happy go lucky taking over of the world. Anyways, I have the list at work. Maybe when I get back in there Tuesday evening Ill send it back to my house and post it here for all to see, as it is public knowledge. Life in the military is grand these days *rolls eyes*

EDIT: Ah, I suppose I should have read all the posts. . . as some have already detailed the BRAC workings. The list was released late last year before the session completed, atleast it was released from the DoD to congress, and eventually it filtered down to the command levels of the military.
 

AndrewR

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
11,157
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Originally posted by: surreal1221
Every couple of years a list comes out. The BRAC list. Base Realignment and Closure list, this is not anything new, and a number of the bases on the 2005 list have been on the list for over 10-15 years, but State help has kept a number of them open.

But yes, under this President, a number of these locations will become closed due to budget constraints w/ his happy go lucky taking over of the world. Anyways, I have the list at work. Maybe when I get back in there Tuesday evening Ill send it back to my house and post it here for all to see, as it is public knowledge. Life in the military is grand these days *rolls eyes*

EDIT: Ah, I suppose I should have read all the posts. . . as some have already detailed the BRAC workings. The list was released late last year before the session completed, atleast it was released from the DoD to congress, and eventually it filtered down to the command levels of the military.

None of the supposed lists in the public right now have ever been confirmed to be real. I've seen three or four over the last year or so -- it's fairly easy for anyone to guess but far less likely that anyone has the actual list. I also doubt that it was released to Congress since Congress doesn't actually have a say in which bases are on it.
 

surreal1221

Golden Member
Mar 12, 2005
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Nevertheless, we shall see how things pan out when, if I recall correctly, the board (or more specifically the whole process) ends next year (Feb 06??).