August 26, 2005

GOP Partisan Hacks!

Is it me, or is there a lot of gloating on the right over Senator Thune's saving Ellsworth Air Base?

I love to see Republicans win but I love to see politicians lose. I bet the military would be well served by closing a lot of bases. Too many are not strategically important, yet they have some powerful Senator or Congressman who will protect it at all costs. Is Ellsworth strategically necessary? I don't know but I would like to see all the Pentagon suggestions taken, even if it doesn't help a Freshman Republican.

PowerLine disagrees:

Thune unseated then-Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle partly on the strength of his claim that he would be better positioned to help save the base. The Democrats gloated when it looked like Ellsworth would be closed, but now Thune gets the last laugh.

I am a small government Republican and I ain't laughing!

Politics Posted by jk at August 26, 2005 1:47 PM

I read recently how the redevelopment of Lowry and the new homes and businesses there have had a very positive effect on the ecomonics of the area. Seems there is much more tax revenue now than when it was a military base.

Posted by: Silence Dogood at August 26, 2005 2:40 PM

Excellent point.

I don't know where Ellsworth is (SugarChuck?) but Lowry Air Force Base and the old Stapleton Airport were prime real estate parcels that were developed in the Denver market at the perfect time.

UPDATE: Their web page (http://www.ellsworth.af.mil/) says:

Ellsworth Air Force Base is located 7 miles east of Rapid City, South Dakota and 2 miles north of I-90, Exit 67 in the town of Box Elder.

The weather conditions can vary from
-5° to 105°, from rain, snow, and hail throughout the seasons. For the latest Weather conditions on the area, click here.

Hmmm, doesn't seem the "location. location, location" that you're looking for...

Posted by: jk at August 26, 2005 3:31 PM

Fred Barnes on "The Beltway Boys" suggested that the WWII bases closed by BRAC have all been accomplished and that further base closings were not likely to increase efficiency or save money.

I can't speculate on the veracity of that but it sounds reasonable. I also wonder about the value of having bases dispersed among communities and geographically disparate.

Posted by: jk at August 28, 2005 1:25 PM | What do you think? [3]