The bases made sense, militarily, at some point. Brunswick does anti-submarine patrol off the coast; Loring had B-52's IIRC, Kittery is a nuclear refeuling station. Not a military base, but Bath Iron Works makes all sorts of ships. Cranked out 1 Liberty ship per week during WWII. But times change, and with that comes changing needs. Some capabilities that were essential in the past are felt less important today.
I don't think it is "cost of the location" per se. Maine isn't that expensive. Cheaper than Connecticut, for example. Locating military capability is a complex choice, with lots of variables.
Anyhow, we agree on the principle that politics should be tangential to base decisions, and base decisions should be tangential to unrelated political votes in Congress. Pique and spite are child's tools, not adult's tools.
Anyhow, we agree on the principle that politics should be tangential to base decisions, and base decisions should be tangential to unrelated political votes in Congress. Pique and spite are child's tools, not adult's tools.
Yes we do agree on this, I can imagine that everyone was someone disappointed, but the Military has to do what they think is best and everyone of the lawmakers will get a chance to plead their case and if their case is convincing they may get a reprieve. Don Rumsfeld has a big vision plan and I am guessing that details will come out along the way as to why they are trying to close some places and leave others open. I remember in Ohio when they closed Rickenbacher and moved everything to Wright-Patterson, it made sense, but Columbus sure didn't like Dayton getting those jobs. But it happens.