No Base Closure Will Sink Simmons by Christopher Healy

No Base Closure Will Sink Simmons

By Christopher Healy

May 17, 2005

Since the near loss of the Seawolf attack submarine programs in the early 1990s, Eastern Connecticut has lived on borrowed time as it awaits the whims of Pentagon bureaucrats who have had it in for the Groton Submarine Base since that program without a purpose was saved.

Last week, the liberal Democrats from our state huddled around the lone man with any credibility among the Pentagon brass, the Congress and the Bush Administration, assailing the decision of the Base Closure and Realignment Committee for putting Groton on the base closure hit list.

Congressman Rob Simmons, the highest ranking retired member of the military serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, a member of the Armed Services Committee, former CIA man, winner of a two Bronze Stars and manic advocate of this state's most viable military asset, wore the decision on his face like a family member had been taken in the night by gypsies.

Simmons is used to these long odds. The political graveyard is filled with people who thought him not to be up to the task of winning such battles. Many of the Democratic side have muttered a series of putdowns - a war criminal, a tool of the right, a lap dog for Tom Delay, and a funny looking guy with a weird laugh and almost hopeless enthusiasm for America and what it stands for - hard work, loyalty and courage under fire.

He has made saving Eastern Connecticut's industry base - Groton and the Electric Boat workers who make the subs - his calling. Simmons relentless lobbying of fellow Armed Services members, including Chairman Duncan Hunter of California, have put any chance of holding onto the base at least possible. Simmons has also put his bacon on the line for President Bush and the more conservative leaders in his caucus, often knowing it would cost him at home.

But Rob Simmons has worked every angle since coming to Congress four years ago. He has broken his hump for Congressional projects and funding for other needs, and always shows up for duty.

If there is anyone who can make the case for Groton with this very small audience - it is Rob Simmons. He will leave everything on the field of battle to win.

And while this summer long battle ensues, culminating in a September 8th final decision on the list of closures, the Democratic-controlled Connecticut Legislature will probably not take this shot across the bow as a warning.

Currently, Gov. M. Jodi Rell has correctly argued that since taxes are rolling in at a solid pace, it will not be necessary to increase taxes and keep spending to an acceptable limit to complete a state budget by the June 8 adjournment date. Democrats still want to tax "millionaires," simply because they can do it and can lock in an endless supply of revenue for every lazy liberal government make-work endeavor the state employee unions ask them for.

In a state that is the most taxed in the nation with its thousands of pages of regulation, inattentive and moribund bureaucracy and failing institutions, one must ask the following questions - why would anyone want to move to Connecticut and why would any business want to open its doors here?

Connecticut is rapidly evolving into a disturbing demographic trend - similar to New York State. Without the revenues of Wall Street to fill its coffers, the Empire State would be little more than a reflection of Alabama - barely covering the pensioner's cost of living needs and opening its doors to more prisons and toxic waste facilities for economic development. One can drive for hours into upstate New York and see nothing - small towns with abandoned down town streets that feature Dollar Stores and Chinese restaurants as their principle employers.

Connecticut will become a larger version of Ulster County - with a economic divining line driven right down the middle - say the Connecticut River - where on the west side, the Fairfield County machine cranks out the dividend taxes while New London County leaders wonder if some "transitional job training program" will churn out enough technicians to keep the house winning through its slot machines.

Meanwhile at the State Capitol, Democrats push for mandatory vacation days, adoption of state health care coverage plans for large companies and corporate taxes on profits earned in other states.

Who would want to work and live in such a state?