Rep. Hank Johnson: Guam could 'tip over and capsize'

I'd like to personally assure Rep Johnson that could never happen to NY City,a total impossibility!!

I have it on good authority that master architects foresaw the population/building explosion in NYC and that is the precise reason why The George Washington Bridge was completed in 1931!!...

Manhattan could never capsize because it's firmly anchored to Ft Lee,NJ!!!!!!!

how many people in his neck of the woods agree with his concerns.

At least he's popular now. CNET news story.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20001611-38.html

Only a few years ago, a member of Congress serving up an inane comment in a congressional hearing would have merited a brief gossip column mention, or more likely gone unnoticed.

Unfortunately for Rep. Hank Johnson, a Georgia Democrat, his bizarre question about the island of Guam possibly tipping over--he used the word "capsize"--if additional troops were stationed there became a YouTube sensation on Thursday.

It's no April Fools' Day joke: the 55-year-old congressman and member of the House Democratic leadership told a naval officer who was testifying on March 25 that: "My fear is that the whole island will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize."

For emphasis, Johnson leaned to his left and added hand motions suggesting a large vessel tipping into the sea.
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Johnson: This is an island that, at its widest level is, what, 12 miles from shore to shore? And at its smallest level or smallest location, it's seven miles between one shore and the other. Is that correct?

Willard: I don't have the exact dimensions, but to your point, sir, I think Guam is a small island.

Johnson: A very small island and about 24 miles, if I recall, long. So 24 miles long, about seven miles wide at the least widest place on the island and about 12 miles wide on the widest part of the island. And I don't know how many square miles that is. Do you happen to know?

Willard: I don't have that figure with me, sir. I can certainly supply it to you if you'd like.

Johnson: Yes. My fear is that the whole island will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize.

Willard: We don't anticipate that. The Guam population, I think, currently about 175,000 and, again, with 8,000 Marines and their families, it's an addition of about 25,000 more into the population.

Johnson: And, also, things like the environment, the sensitive areas of the environment--coral reefs and those kinds of things. And I know that, you know, lots of people don't like to think about that, but you know, we didn't think about global warming either.

Now, we do have to think about it. And so I'm concerned from an environmental standpoint whether or not Guam is the best place to do this relocation, but it's actually the only place. Is that correct?

Willard: This is the best place. This is the farthest west U.S. territory that we own. And, you know, this is part of our nation. And in readdressing the forward presence and posture importance to Pacific Command, Guam is vital to this decision.