For those of you on the right who constantly complain about the size of government — how much it costs us in tax dollars, and how it distorts our economy — you may be interested to learn that the U.S. military is Washington state’s single largest employer, with over 94,000 uniformed personnel and civilian workers.
Well, the latest round of base closings has been announced, and fortunately for our state economy, Washington has been spared any major losses. In fact, it looks like we’ll be picking up about 800 personnel statewide. This is big news for a state economy still struggling to recover from recession. Huge.
Still… I’ve always been uncomfortable with the way these base closures pit states against each other, and the ensuing battle between politics and logistics during the decision making process. For example, the Philadelphia area where I grew up, just got the bad news that it will lose yet another major installation, the Willow Grove Naval Air Station. Pennsylvania has lost over 16,500 military jobs in the four rounds of base closures since 1988, and the local economy was hit particularly hard by the shuttering of the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in 1991. If approved, this latest round of closures will cost Pennsylvania another 1,658 jobs.
“This is not good news, but I can tell you the entire congressional delegation, the governor, all of us will go to bat,” said U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum.
Yes, that is exactly what congressional delegations around the nation will be doing during the coming months, in one of the few D.C. rituals where a hate-filled, right-wing, partisan whacko like Santorum is actually willing to reach across the aisle to his Democratic Keystone State colleagues. So as we digest this good news, we all owe a big thanks and our continued support to Gov. Christine Gregoire and our congressional delegation for all their hard work in protecting our own, selfish, economic interests.
UPDATE:
In case you’re wondering, here are the base closures proposed for WA state. You can view the official BRAC list in its entirety here.
Washington:
1LT Richard H. Walker U.S. Army Reserve Center
Army National Guard Reserve Center, Everett
Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center, Tacoma
U.S. Army Reserve Center, Fort Lawton
Vancouver Barracks
It seemed to me that the closures hit pretty hard on Bush’s heartland (deep south, plains states) and in general left the ‘lefty states’ relatively unscathed (with the notable exception of the New London sub base).
You’ve gotta wonder why the dems managed to do so well in this round, given the mood in the Capitol and the general nastiness of the base closure issue…
We ought to similarly defund and do closings of other users of fed tax dollars..
…NEA funding
…NPR funding
…Dept of Agric
…gobs more of the other redundant and wasteful federal programs
(at least w/ the defense/base stuff the feds are the ONLY ones who do that for us; rest of spending has like 3 layers (e.g. local schools, state funding of schools, fed dept of education)
I always like how the liberals lament the loss of reasoned debate that doesn’t resort to name calling and then follow it up with comments like Goldy’s description of Rick Santorum as a ” hate-filled, right-wing, partisan whacko”.
Nope, no hypocrisy there.
So… you’re saying that Santorum isn’t a hate-filled, right-wing, partisan whacko?
Nobody is losing their job, it’s the military they are just having to move. The only thing the state is losing out on is tax money, proclaim the real reason, don’t cloud it with emotion.
Nobody is losing their job
Who said they were?
Thats not quite honest…
Nobody’s talking about *people* losing jobs, they’re talking about *communities* losing jobs. What would happen to Oak Harbor if the Whidbey NAS was closed?
The real estate market would collapse, and millions of dollars would be pulled out of the local economy.
THATS why people fight not to get their bases closed… Its the jobs all around the base, not the jobs *in* the base.
Everybody who reads The Stranger knows what Santorum really means.
DavidT
I could be wrong, but the NEA gets federal funding?
Actually people are losing their jobs. My brother who is in the Army Reserve was scheduling to take a position at Ft Lawton. But now there won’t be a Ft Lawton.
The military is not Washington’s largest employer; state government is, with over 100,000 employees (not counting the higher education system). That detail aside, military bases and personnel should be configured to meet the nation’s defense needs, not local communities’ economic needs, but of course it doesn’t work exactly that way. As for Santorum, he should be encouraged to reach out to Democrats, but he also should be made to understand that in politics everything is quid pro quo: If he chooses a combative style of politics and offers no compromise, no negotiation, no concessions to Democrats, then he deserves nothing from Democrats in return.
Move all the military to the Republican states. The Democrat states will still have Detroit, D.C., and all the food stamp and welfare check income.
The reason that WA, OR, and CA did well has little to do with partisan politics I am afraid and a lot to do with military worries about China. Our biggest concern is no longer putting bases in the midwest to protect them against ICBM’s but rather in projecting power over the Pacific.
Now it will be interesting to see how politics comes in following the release of this list… the biggest loser in my opinion was Sen Thune (SD) who won his seat in part by promising to protect Ellsworth AFB. Good luck next go around Sen Thune!
Patrick @11:
If Goldy is right about the 94,000 employed, that does make it the largest employer. Excluding higher ed, state govt employs about 70,000.
“Everybody who reads The Stranger knows what Santorum really means.”
Hahhah Isn’t that the stinky goo made up of poop and cum after you butt fuck? ahhahah
gregoire will give all the credit to first man mike to justofy his new office/position.
herb, clean it up.
Where is the open forum Goldy? Don’t you do those on Fridays???
bluetac @ 14
I believe your information is out of date. According to the Office of Financial Management, there were 104,000 state employees as of 2003. http://www.ofm.wa.gov/forecast.....question08
JCH @ 12
According to Fortune magazine, most “blue” states are net payers of federal taxes while most “red” states are net receivers of federal spending.
You were saying something about Democrats getting welfare? From this map, it sure looks like taxes paid by Democrats are feeding Republicans.
http://www.fortune.com/fortune.....29_map.pdf
patrick @ 19:
Its weird how you get different numbers depending on where you look. I was looking here:
http://www.workforceexplorer.c.....QtrWEr.pdf
Bizarre.
Fairchild AFB is a direct beneficiary of the closing of Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota, moving most of the strategic B-1 bomber units to this region. Likewise, the Naval Bases in the Sound will receive additional units and support personnel. Military bases hire a great number of non-military personnel from local communities. These contracted service providers either must move along with the base units or find new jobs. Another affected group are 20+ year retirees who receive direct benefits from bases with regards to health care, cheap commodities and consumer goods, and recreational opportunities. The best research to date suggests that at least 25% of that subgroup will move to a new base. The remainder will stay if the communities keep services that are accessible and representative of the quality they receive onbase. Given the WA list, what will most likely occur is an influx of personnel, contracted service providers, and retirees to the communities around the upgraded AFB’s, and NB/NAB’s.
#21……..Patrick,Isn’t that a good thing? Do not most Democrats insist on “redistributing” the wealth? Shouldn’t Democrats pay even higher taxes [say 75% of income] to show that “To each, From each” is a great idea? [hehe]
Thanks to the brave Democratic group of federal legislators, Washington comes out on top again. Good thing we know how to elect Dems here.
In the Dakotas, they replaced a Dem with an R and they lost the biggest employer in the state as thanks! How do all your “values” voters like that! HA HA!
Nothing warms my heart like seeing little baby right wingers starving!
Scott,
You are pretty dense to think it has anything to do with political considerations of left and right. If that were the case we’d have NO bases. Do you really think that Cantwell, Inslee and Osama Mamma marched into Rumsfield’s office and Rumsfield caved?
Perhaps they keep the military in the locations where the most disloyal people live so as to keep them under control. Put that in your tin foil hat.
Scott @23
Thanks to the brave Democratic group of federal legislators, Washington comes out on top again.
I am trying to ferret out a sequitur there, but either I am not a ferret or you are no good at sequiturs.
Not good at ferreting, I should have said…
Oh, yeah…
Goldy, how ’bout that preview function?
I could be wrong, but the NEA gets federal funding? -Comment by dan— 5/13/05 @ 11:02 am
National Endowment for The Arts
Yes, they do, which is why so many Americans were/are so damned angry about our tax dollars spent on such shining examples of art as ‘The Vagina Monologues’, ‘Christ In Piss’, Mapplethorpe porn, and ‘The Virgin Mary/elephant dung’ exhibit, all while many schools — especially those in poor, inner-city neighborhoods — no longer have art or music programs.
Why does this damned filter allow rampant use of the f-word and not allow a descripive word such as ‘p*rn.
What a joke.
I could be wrong, but the NEA gets federal funding?
-Comment by dan— 5/13/05 @ 11:02 am
National Endowment for The Aarts
Yes, they do, which is why so many Americans are/were so damned angry when tax dollars are used to promote such shining examples of “art” as ‘The Vag*na Monologues’, ‘Christ in P*ss’, Mapplethorpes p*rn and the Virgin Mary/elephant dung exhibit, especially when so many schools, particularly inner city schools, have had their art and music programs cut for lack of funding.
From NPRs annual report (2003):
“NPR receives no direct federal or other governmental funding
for general support. Less than 2% of NPR’s annual budget
comes from competitive grants sought by NPR from federally
funded organizations, such as the Corporation for Public
Broadcasting, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the
National Science Foundation.”
from federally funded organizations, such as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Science Foundation.”
and who mentioned NPR… for that mattere who listens to NPR.
Forgot to mention that the folks at hypocrite central, the GOP party headquarters, were busy engineering attacks agains President Clinton for closing bases during peace time. But when old Monkey Face does it during war time, it somehow makes sense??????
WASHINGTON — [Democrats who hate the military today loved the military, but only in their state. Got it?] The Pentagon delivered its biggest blow to Connecticut, recommending the shutdown of four military facilities, including the U.S. Naval submarine base in Groton.
The decision would slash nearly 8,600 jobs – more than in any other state. Most would come from the base in Groton, which also affects residents in Rhode Island.
This is the second time that defense officials have targeted Groton for shutdown. Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn. [the other half of the waitress sandwich!] , said Friday it will be more difficult to overturn the decision this time than it was in 1993.
Scott, war and peace are just parts of a game for the current idiot in charge of the white house. Much like monopoly or his many failed attempts at running/owning a business venture. Just call daddy and his Saudi Arabian ‘cousins’ and they will make all the ‘little mistakes’ ok. What a complete failure….in every way…. Maybe the neocons can keep bolton hopping….and he can run for GWB’s vacant post in a few years….same shit, different look (chimp vs. neanderthal)
Eva B @ 31
“. . .and who mentioned NPR…”
You’re not taking your smart pills this week, are you? Look at post # 2
“This is big news for a state economy still struggling to recover from recession. Huge.”
So I agree with you so I ask, what the F the governor is doing with massive Tax increases and huge regulations, Huge spending increases, to help this state economy still struggling to recover from recession. Huge Idiot!
and who mentioned NPR…
NPR was mentioned @ post 2. Read more, ass, troll less. Oh, and “arts” has only one A.
I have one base in Washington I would recommend for closure, the Governor’s mansion! That would save us all Billions in the first three months alone!
Will chrissy step forward with kudos to the Bush administration for leaving Wa state out of military base closings? Or is she going to try to take credit fot oi?
Chuck@38
FOR IT?
Chuck nice slip up, fot oi is having sex with your household animals in Myanmar. Soooo that’s where you originally come from.
94,000 military personnel… No wonder Kirby & John have an audience…
Welcome to the State of bulls-eye!