How could Sonny and Saxby and Zell and Johnny let this happen? How could they allow the Pentagon to put Fort Mac on the chopping block?
Fort McPherson provides vital military services that will merely re-locate to another state. That means zero cost savings to the Pentagon. Instead the behemoth agency assumes additional costs of relocation and rebuilding elsewhere at 21st century dollars. For Georgia, losing the $20 billion dollars that this base pumps into the state economy every year means economic devastation.
Let’s reframe: that is $20 billion dollars that goes to small businesses, like hardware stores, dry cleaners, barber shops, retail shops and restaurants. It guts medium-sized businesses like grocery stores and malls and big industries like housing and the manufacturing industries that support our communities. Worse, when bases close, much of the vital healthcare infrastructure surrounding those communities also evacuates, hurting our most vulnerable citizens.
This isn't a matter of pork. This is a matter of 137 years of loyal, dutiful, patriotic service to the nation by Georgia communities and ten generations of Georgia citizens.
This cry of foul doesn’t even address the homeland security implications of these closings. Atlanta is the 9th largest city in America. It ranks 3rd as the headquarters for the most Fortune 500 companies. Hartsfield-Jackson Airport is the busiest on the planet. Simply stated, Atlanta is a high profile target for terrorism. Knowing the Ft. Mac was in the metro area gave many of us some comfort that we would be protected. Now what?
If this is what supporting Republicans buys Georgia, then I want to know the return policy. It certainly casts the term “red state” in a whole different light.
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