SD DemMoonbats Promote Base Closing!

Another exposition in this post from S.D.P. of the active promotion of the current base-closing (BRAC) cycle about to come out. It seems that in spite of SD’s interest in maintaining the existance of Ellsworth AFB, and the Air Guard Facility at Joe Foss Field in Sioux Falls, our fair-haired boys then-Sen. Tom and Sen. Tim were out pushing to get the base-elimination ball rolling down the hill.

Let’s see now, what was that bit from the last election about “clout” helping the state? The real clout in this case was a potential clout to SD if either of these bases gets cut. At least under the impetus of political reality, our boy Sen. Tom later voted against the BRAC process, but it was like trying to stop a speeding train after it had pulled out of the station.

The question that thsi all brings to mind here, is what the probable basis of this was: the typical DemMoonbat opposition and continuing attempts to diminish the United States military in any way. The libDem and other lefties have a mental model that states “strong US military = bad”, so anything that diminishes that strength is by definirion then “good”. If one keeps that in mind, their stance is perfectly logical, given the pre-existing anti-military philosphy. It ultimately turns out to be just another case of a broader national Dummicrat agenda trumping the interest of the red-state chumps back home who keep voting for “clout”, which only turns around to be used to clout them in the head.

The Chief is somewhat optimistic – since the BRAC process started there is a significant change – recently elected Sen. John Thune, who has some pretty good markers from the White House for running in ’02, and then for beating Tom Daschle in ‘o4.

It should be recalled that Thune’s inclination in ’02 was to run for Governor – and it was his for the taking. It was direct intervention by the President that changed that into the Senate campaigns. Recently Sen. Thune has been actively meeting with Administration and DoD people concerning these bases. The Chief HAS to think that this political marker, whether or not it is explicity in play, is certainly remembered, and it may be hoped that the President’s well-developed sense of 2-way loyalty is enough to make the difference.

IF this is the case, then the “loss” to SD of Daschle’s alleged clout, may be decisive in a positive outcome for the state’s military bases. We’ll all know a lot more on Friday morning, when the preliminary BRAC recommendations hit the hill.