Should the Republican Party Bow Out of 2016?

[Nikolai]

I read some dude called Chris Christie won overwhelmingly in an election today, and is suddenly considered a good contender for the presidency. Who is he and why is he so great, oh dear Poly oracles?

[MikeH]

I totally agree Ben, my point is that if ANY bases ANYWHERE are no longer needed militarily they should be closed rather than kept open at great expense just as a sop to a local population.

And if it is going to have a major impact, programs should be put in place to mitigate it.

In the case of US bases in the UK, Germany those programs would obviously be the responsibility of the local government.

[Ben Kenobi]

Massive waste of government money, spend the same money in the short term on helping the local areas attract new industries, cheap loans to new businesses in the area, retraining and **** like that for a few years whilst they get on their feet. Win win.

I don't see why the US should be closing bases in California when there are still operating bases in Germany from the second world war.

[MikeH]

Massive waste of government money, spend the same money in the short term on helping the local areas attract new industries, cheap loans to new businesses in the area, retraining and **** like that for a few years whilst they get on their feet. Win win.

[dannubis]

How does that relate to the effect of the closing of a military installation on local economy?

Military bases get funded by the federal government, no ?

[MikeH]

Was that whining? I just asked a straightforward question.

[Ben Kenobi]

He's a Euro. Chances are he figures that passing the bill onto Americans and whining about Americans counts as 'gratitude'.

[MikeH]

?

Not sure what that's about. Was a genuine question. Spending money on bases that aren't required seems like a waste of money.

Doesn't mean there shouldn't be some program to help towns affected find replacement jobs etc.

[SlowwHand]

Shouldn't the size and location of military bases be based on defence needs?

I might as well not respond to you since you don't read.

And thanks for the Report. In the current political alliance, calling me a Democrat is certainly defamation.

[Ben Kenobi]

Sloww probably does want the president to be killed. Sloww is a racist Southern Democrat, just like the people who actually supported slavery and Jim Crow.

Reported!

[MikeH]

Shouldn't the size and location of military bases be based on defence needs?

[SlowwHand]

How does that relate to the effect of the closing of a military installation on local economy?

[dannubis]

So Sloww. Are you now in favour of wealth redistribution or against it ?

[SlowwHand]

You want to live in the past? Fine. Have some.

In a letter, Gov. Pete Wilson asked President Clinton to reject the recommendations of the commission, calling the impact on California "terribly unfair."

California could lose more than 45,000 jobs, he said. Even with 17,000 jobs that would be created by the moves, the state would face a net loss of 28,425 jobs, he said.

http://articles.latimes.com/1993-07-02/news/mn-9247_1_base-closures

[SlowwHand]

Yeah, that's the only reason they exist.

You tell me what would happen to Solano County California if Travis AFB closed. Fairfield and Vacaville would be the first two cities to go, followed by other small cities.
Sacramento would feel it and if you closed McClellan too, Sacramento would be rocked. So now most of northern California would be affected. No biggie. Napa Valley would still have wineries.