My letter to the Editor was printed (RE: Cannon AFB Closing)

[SF Bay Area Dem]

I wonder how the yokels in Eastern Red Area New Mexico feel now? From what I understand they feel betrayed. Oh well... may be they will think twice next time about voting Republican (I doubt it)...

Here is my letter printed by the Clovis New Journal:

Blame Bush for being on base closure list

The good people of Clovis and the surrounding area were given a rude reality slap last week when it was announced by President Bush via the Pentagon that a strong military is not really necessary and a massive cut and weakening of our armed forces is needed to keep us safe by closing Cannon. Three out of the four BRACs thus far have come under Republican presidents and this one is the largest.

Memo to the good people of Clovis: Welcome to the cold, cruel world of betrayal by your president and the Republican Congress. Fourteen major permanent bases in Iraq are being built while yours is being closed.

I thought this country was in a state of perpetual war? So why cut our military during war? Cannon AFB, in my opinion is a key component of our homeland security and now it will probably be closed despite the best efforts of the Clovis business community.

As the F-16s fly out of Cannon for the last time, the good citizens of Clovis can take solace in that they voted for the guy who promised to keep them safe and secure.
Welcome to the world of President George W. Bush.

**** * ********* (Ret. USMC)
San Ramon, Calif.

http://www.clovis-news-nm.com/engine.pl?station=clovis&template=storyfull.html&id=11254

[realFedUp]

1. good letter

Here's to letter writers!

[Justyce]

3. Ditto --

Great letter & cheers to all letter writers! :toast:

[Straight Shooter]

2. The clincher: 14 bases in Iraq being built while yours is being closed.

A most excellent line and the best talking point ever about this situation.

:thumbsup:

[zbdent]

4. Make sure the note is emphasizing

PERMANENT BASES in Iraq . . .

[insane_cratic_gal]

5. I like that you said

betrayal by your president and the Republican Congress

I often say "he's not my president" I refuse to acknowledge him. I've disowned BuschINC. I have no president, that thing in office is a shame to the consitiution of the united states

[SF Bay Area Dem]

6. Thanks all for the kind words on the letter.

I feel very strongly about this issue. I hope the good folks of Clovis NM really think about this and the implications of voting for someone like George W. Bush. What will be funny is to see the freeper/dittohead letters that are sure to come trying to spin this that BRAC is actually Clinton's fault and trying to makes excuse on behalf of *. They are sure to piss off and alienate people by doing this.

[SF Bay Area Dem]

8. The first freeper retort to my letter

I knew the freepers and dittoheads would flip out over my letter. Read below...



Assigning blame won’t help Cannon

Day after day we hear news related to the proposed base closure, and day after day it gets dirtier.

I can’t believe we are now blaming President Bush. This is just unreal. Michael D. Montoya of California sure likes to hit below the belt.

Let’s stop blaming someone and fight to keep Cannon.

I believe we need to keep writing letters, but to the Brac Commission people and not worthless letters to the paper; that's just a waste. I also believe we need to have a plan B.
I came from three other closure bases and today all three are doing well in their economics.

Steve Gershon
Clovis

[Shoeempress]

7. Great letter. A big FU without actually saying it. Beautifully done.

[Gloria]

9. Our local Gannett rag crucified Kerry for wanting to stop the

process so that reevaluation could take place....The paper found a military guy to smear Kerry and then weighed in with Congressman Pearce and an editorial that really pissed me off.

I went to our local Kerry campaign guy and was told that they weren't going to get into BRAC....he basically said it was up to me. I was totally floored.

I'm not well versed on the military and I would have thought that this would have been rebutted quickly from on high. I tried to tell them that this was a very impt issue locally, since White Sands was a major employer. But nada.

WS has lost jobs and I still have the editorial....I want to engage the paper on this, but I just saw my comments about being hung up on by Domenici's office ignored.

[SF Bay Area Dem]

10. Kerry should have made BRAC an issue

I know some DU'ers will disagree with me but if Kerry would have went into the red states and focused on every community with a major military base and make a pledge and a promise to NEVER sign any BRAC recommendations that come before him as long as we are at war and our guys are off fighting might have made the difference. This would have taken the winds out of the national security argument from Rove. Can you imagine? Kerry going to the cities where any military bases are located and promising not to close them. If Rove counter attacked with nonsense that you examples above then Kerry could retort that 8 wants to cut the military. I think this would have been a potent issue...