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Here's another way to look at the base closure and, in particular, base consolidation plans. A view far more sinister than simply the economic impact .... or even the potential to cause some gaps in our national security.
Mind control.
Now before you call the guys in the white suits, hear me out.
In times past, we had some pretty small military bases. A few thousand military, plus their dependants. For many of them, they bought houses on the open market and more or less integrated into the community. Sure they kept a fairly tight social circle. They were, after all, career military and in many ways nomadic. But they *did* have to interact with the community. The community influenced them ... and they influenced the community. While their views may have been somewhat insular, they weren't exposed to only military families and only military life. They mingled with ordinary folks. In many ways, just like any civillian company nomad. And they were free to draw conclusions and form points of view from this exposure and interaction.
Now let's think about megabases. They will overwhelm their host area. The influence of local culture will be reduced ..... or even eliminated, replaced by one point of view ... one mentality. It will be increasingly difficult to avoid group think. Even dependents will be steeped in life in a company town. No cultural diversity. Sameness. One view. Insular. Parochial. No outside influences. Monastic, almost.
Say what you will about the military, they're not all bushbots. At least not yet.
So .... Bush and Rummy create these superbases ..... where? In 'liberal' blue states like Connecticut and Maine and :::shudder::: Massachussetts?
Nope. Florida. Texas. Georgia. Arizona.
These superbases will become single economy, closed society, groupthinking company towns. Bushvilles.
**This** ....... scares the shit out of me.
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