Hypocrisy Rewarded

Yahoo News: Connecticut Cheers As Base Kept Open---

GROTON, Conn. - State officials expressed a mix of joy and relief Wednesday as the national base closing commission voted to keep open the Navy's oldest submarine base here, saving thousands of jobs and a cornerstone of Connecticut's economy.

"Yahoo!" said Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn. "Submarine base New London lives, and I think that it will live forever."

The commission voted 7-1 with one abstention to keep the base open, culminating a fierce lobbying effort by Connecticut officials since the base appeared on the Pentagon's proposed list of closings.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell said she was in tears when she heard the decision while in her car.

"We did it! We did it!" Rell said.

Just before casting his vote, Chairman Anthony Principi said the submarine base couldn't be replaced. "The New London sub base is truly the center of excellence," he said.

Economists have said closing the base would devastate the state's economy and threaten 31,000 jobs statewide, including more than 8,000 at the base itself and thousands of others who do subcontracting or provide support for the facility and its residents.

Now, really, why should the Blue State of Connecticut be rewarded in such a way, when the people of Connecticut voted for John Kerry? If they had had their way, we might have pulled out of Iraq by now and would need less military.

They do not deserve to keep military bases if they do not support the mission of those who reside at those bases. Is it not hypocritical to, on one hand, allow the state economy to be supported by the military, but, on the other hand, not support what the military is doing?

Both senators from Connecticut, Christopher Dodd and Joe Lieberman, are Democrats. Their party supported the war in votes, but has done nothing but criticize it ever since.

Should a good, Red state, one that supports the war, be allowed to keep its bases, rather than icky old Blue Connecticut?