In this case, America first. I do agree that I'm sick of being the world's police. **** being Israel's guard dog while we're at it. They aren't an ally anyway, they have stolen as much American intelligence as China.
Were there defense cuts outside the sequester? That was a trainwreck that seemed to take care of itself...
There were as far as removing troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, but most of it was due to the sequester, which was a bipartisan effort in the end.
If your goal is to get our spending under control and balance the budget, start with the BIG RED portion first.
Why? Honest question. If I have a mortgage and car payments of $2500 a month, but spend $600 a month eating out, why would moving to a smaller house or getting rid of a car be the first option?
Looking at things from a larger perspective, I agree that military spending could definitely be cut (as could other things). Personally, I hope it isn't cut because I'm trying to get them to pay for my Ph.D. I need this gravy train to keep rolling.
Start with ALL of it, .....we can do more than one thing at a time. The Military is a SOCIALIST program. DD
Eating is pretty important. I think we can agree that people need to eat. But you can address the expense of food you are eating... just like addressing how big of a military we need.
Especially the healthcare lol.....but I'm trying to get all I can while it's rolling so I can be fat and happy in my old age.
I agree that's the fairest/best way to evaluate the federal budget. But that's not the topic of this thread...thus my comment.
Maybe because it's almost 70 cents of every dollar the federal government spends? And it's not done growing...
Healthcare is something that every other country in the world has but ours, we need to get modern and stop pandering to the likes of big business - we pay more for healthcare so they can keep staffs of hundreds to deny coverage at every opportunity. Imagine - everyone has Universal care - and insurance lobbyists need to find some other way to live. DD
Agree with this part. Socialism: a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole. How, under that, is the military a socialist program? At least, any more so than any other government program. There is of course one important distinction. It is actual specifically outlined in our Constitution as an obligation of the federal government. Almost all of the other spending? Nope. That said, am I open to the idea? Yes. We do need infrastructure spending. The question is how to pay for it. Military is always the big bugaboo from the left on where to get it...just like taxing the rich will pay for just about any social program imaginable. Could we perhaps cut our defense spending? Maybe. Cut what, exactly? R&D? Do you really want to be the one at a technical disadvantage in upcoming conflicts? Certain cuts here may be ok, but technology is rapidly improving in the military (rail guns, lasers, etc)… we do NOT want to lag behind here. Plus, how much flow through does that generate? Just like all the consumer products that came from the space program, there are other benefits there. Reduced overall military size? Ok, but cutting exactly what, and why do you think that's a good idea?
We need to close most of the bases we have worldwide for starters. My plan would be to slowly reduce the fighting portion of the military and increase the building, research, infrastructure aspect. The Army Corp of Engineers for example primarily works on canals, dams, hydroelectric projects but why not expand into all infrastructure? Basically turn most of the defense dollars into the WPA a little at a time.
Then make the justification that part is not needed vs the current military budget. It's not the size that's the point, hence my house and car analogy.
no need to cut R&D, here is the starter: cut 1000 abroad military bases to 10. cut one war per year to one war per 40 years. Reduce 99% of the war propaganda in MSM.
Those bases are plenty useful protecting the seas and guaranteeing trade American consumers come to expect. Our power projection might be on steroids, but I don't think anyone wants to start the ball rolling back towards the early 1900s.
It is a socialist construct, so is the fire department, the police, public education, the military - all are socialist constructs....we are already a socialist democracy.... Just because some propaganda has led the gullible and stupid to believe the name is a bad thing, doesn't make it so...... DD