Sub Town Newspapers Spin, You Decide

The New London Day says that Representatives Hunter and Bartlett, HASC bigwigs, are making noises like they'd prefer to see SUBASE NLON off the base closure list:

"The announcements this week by committee Chairman Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., and Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., chairman of the Projection Forces Subcommittee, which oversees the Navy fleet, are expected to carry considerable weight with the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission not only because Hunter and Bartlett are defense experts, but also because they don't represent the district where the base is located and have no personal interest in saving it.
Bartlett, who conducted a hearing June 13 at the base on submarine force levels, has said he believes the Navy needs more submarines than it is projecting. The Pentagon's recommendation to close Groton is apparently based on a fleet of 40-45 boats, down from 54 today.
“It's premature to say precisely how and in what manner Congressman Bartlett” will intervene, said his spokeswoman, Lisa Wright. “But he believes that a 40-submarine fleet is woefully inadequate, and that Groton will be needed to support the submarine fleet that will be needed to meet the Navy's mission requirements.”
"Hunter sent a letter to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld weeks before the base-closure list was announced May 13, urging him not to close the Groton base and break up the synergy that exists among the base, which operates submarines; Electric Boat, which designs, builds and repairs them; and the nearby Naval Undersea Warfare Center, which works on advanced submarine technologies."

Meanwhile, The Camden County Tribune, in SE Georgia, is flogging the "working papers" put out by the Pentagon in support of their claim that it makes financial sense to move Sub School and a few attack boats down to Kings Bay:

"In order for Kings Bay to accommodate the six fast attack submarines and submarine school if Naval Submarine Base, New London, is closed, it will have to build or expand its current facilities at a cost of $238.5 million.
"The total one-time cost of closing New London and relocating its commands to Kings Bay and Naval Shipyard Norfolk, among other bases, comes to $679.6 million.
"This is projected to generate an annual savings of $192.78 million, and the total cost would be paid back within three years, stated the analysis.
"Under the Pentagon's recommendation, which must be approved by Congress, Kings Bay would receive six submarines and 1,216 personnel in 2008. An additional 27 officers and enlisted men would come over the following two years and in 2011, the submarine school would open, bringing with it 1,945 personnel."

Unfortunately for the Georgians, the Connecticutters (?) seem to have been effectively raising questions about the numbers the Pentagon used in coming up with the base closing recommendation. The Georgians are going to have to come up with better than this if they want to compete in the public opinion forum.

Advantage: Groton

Update 0048 25 June: Since TTLB says I'm posting about the Kelo decision, I should put something up. I was living in the New London area when most of the arguments were starting, and my thoughts were that eminent domain shouldn't be used for economic development matters. If someone is willing to sell, fine; otherwise, move the project somewhere else. Besides, downtown New London is really beyond revitalizing.
For more coherent thoughts, go to Ninme.

Update 1203 25 June: I checked over at Democratic Underground to see how they were reacting to the fact that the "liberal" judges were the ones who in the majority in the Kelo case; they're really confused. (Think back to the androids in the Star Trek episode where the Enterprise crew confused them with illogical statements.) Example: "I'm very against this. I would think it would be conservatives standing up for what ever the corporations want. I'm confused. I didn't think the supreme court had any liberal judges . I thought it was loaded with conservatives."
More of DUers sniping at each other can be enjoyed here.