The Outrage over Defense Spending

[LeBuick]

Of all the articles I've read about the defense spending announcements, this is the first guy to pull back the covers to see what is really going on. All this outrage from the left and right is ridiculous. The left wants to keep those wasteful contracts in their states and the right is trying to make everyone believe we are now vulnerable to attacks.

Those politicians on the Hill know none of the proposed changes will degrade the nations defensive readiness. We have enough bombs to destroy the world several times over so what's a few more going to do? What those politicians are really doing is putting on a show for the lobbyist and defense contractors whose pocket they dwell and to their constituents to say they tried their best to oppose the presidents agenda...

The nation is buying into the biggest floor show in history. Hook, line and sinker...

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-defense7-2009apr07,0,6842364.story

Wasteful Pentagon spending is something that most members of Congress would like to eliminate -- as long as the cuts are made in somebody else's state. The problem the Obama administration faces as it seeks support for its defense budget is that pretty much everybody would feel some pain.

Gates and Obama hardly aim to disarm America, but there's no question that they intend to buy less ammo. Given that the United States spends nearly as much on defense as every other country on Earth combined, that's not a bad plan. In the late 1990s, defense spending was about 3% of the nation's gross domestic product; today that number is closer to 4.5%. Whether that has made us safer is anybody's guess, but there's no question that it has made us poorer. And if being the world's sole superpower isn't enough of a deterrent against foreign attack, it's unlikely that being the world's sole super-duper power will either.

Why won't this nation see the light, I don't agree with everything Obama does but in this case he is making good decisions toward cutting wasteful spending and the nation just don't want to admit it.

Am I the only one who sees the truth?

 

[targus]

Why won't this nation see the light, I don't agree with everything Obama does but in this case he is making good decisions toward cutting wasteful spending and the nation just don't want to admit it.

Am I the only one who sees the truth?

Care to give some examples of the "wasteful" spending that he is cutting here?

 

[BigBossman]

I have no problem with the government using my tax dollars to buy weapons or ammunition to protect our nation. I believe that one can never have too much ammo. You buy extra in hopes that you never need it & hoping that you'll never have to use it. At least it gives you peace of mind knowing that should you have to, you'll have an ample supply & won't have to worry about running out.

If the government is buying less ammo for our troops, I hope they'll at least supply them with a pocket knife. That won't do any good unless they have been trained to dodge multiple bullets.

 

[just-want-peace]

Am I the only one who sees the truth?

'Pears as how!

Care to explain the in more detail to us iggernent yokels?

Whether that has made us safer is anybody's guess,--

IOW, since we really don't know if healthy eating has kept our heart healthy, lets go to junk food and see what happens! Stupid as that statement is, it makes as much sense as the above quote!

 

[LeBuick]

Care to give some examples of the "wasteful" spending that he is cutting here?

Start with the list of things Gates just cut then browse the long list McCain gave us during the campaign. It is also no secret how the defense companies under bid the competition knowing they can claim cost overruns and get more money later. The whole thing is a sham...

 

[LeBuick]

IOW, since we really don't know if healthy eating has kept our heart healthy, lets go to junk food and see what happens! Stupid as that statement is, it makes as much sense as the above quote!

I know of an over weight preacher from LA that is 94 and still eats fried everything, pork, beef and you name it. He is also a sweets junkie. Eating healthy may reduce the risk of heart disease but it certainly doesn't guarantee anything.

It's like having the largest gun, it might make you feel safe but how much safer but whether it made you safer is open to the jury of time.

 

[targus]

Start with the list of things Gates just cut then browse the long list McCain gave us during the campaign. It is also no secret how the defense companies under bid the competition knowing they can claim cost overruns and get more money later. The whole thing is a sham...

How do you know that those defense items were "wasteful". You claimed to have some special insight that no else seems to have. Please tell me why any of the defense items being cut were "wasteful".

 

[Salty]

Those politicians on the Hill know none of the We have enough bombs to destroy the world several times over... quote]


I have heard that statement many, many times. But I have never seen a reference backing that Stat up.
Just wondering if you have a link to confirm the info?

Sarge Salty

 

[JustChristian]

Care to give some examples of the "wasteful" spending that he is cutting here?

Anything over what is required for our own national security is wasteful. Bush and the Neo-Cons wanted America to maintain its status as the ruler of the world. Why should Christians support this neo-Nazi perspective on the world when so many are needy?

 

[targus]

Anything over what is required for our own national security is wasteful. Bush and the Neo-Cons wanted America to maintain its status as the ruler of the world. Why should Christians support this neo-Nazi perspective on the world when so many are needy?

And how do you know what is required for our national security and what is not?

Ruler of the world?

Hyperbole makes you look silly.

 

[rbell]

Anything over what is required for our own national security is wasteful. Bush and the Neo-Cons wanted America to maintain its status as the ruler of the world. Why should Christians support this neo-Nazi perspective on the world when so many are needy?

Comparing Bush to Hitler...what a monumentally stupid post.


Oh...and that was Off-topic Bush-bash #3,926.

 

[OldRegular]

Comparing Bush to Hitler...what a monumentally stupid post.


Oh...and that was Off-topic Bush-bash #3,926.

At least JC can spell Neo. But he are an inginer don-chu-no.

 

[LeBuick]

I have heard that statement many, many times. But I have never seen a reference backing that Stat up.
Just wondering if you have a link to confirm the info?

Sarge Salty

As you know, information like that won't be on the net but both countries have thousands of bombs which are way more powerful than the ones used in WWII. It is not the blast that will assure the worlds destruction, it is the radiation and nuclear winter that will follow. You'd be better off dieing in the initial blast.

 

[poncho]

I have no problem with the government using my tax dollars to buy weapons or ammunition to protect our nation. I believe that one can never have too much ammo. You buy extra in hopes that you never need it & hoping that you'll never have to use it. At least it gives you peace of mind knowing that should you have to, you'll have an ample supply & won't have to worry about running out.

If the government is buying less ammo for our troops, I hope they'll at least supply them with a pocket knife. That won't do any good unless they have been trained to dodge multiple bullets.

Problem with all that is that we no longer send our military to protect our nation but to protect and maintain the empires and interests of a handful of powerful men. The answer is to use our military for it's intended purpose. Defending the U.S. It was never intended that our military engage in nation building or open the markets in other countries so the international public privateers can leverage their capitol and privatize the natural resources of others by force.

 

[JustChristian]

I have no problem with the government using my tax dollars to buy weapons or ammunition to protect our nation. I believe that one can never have too much ammo. You buy extra in hopes that you never need it & hoping that you'll never have to use it. At least it gives you peace of mind knowing that should you have to, you'll have an ample supply & won't have to worry about running out.

If the government is buying less ammo for our troops, I hope they'll at least supply them with a pocket knife. That won't do any good unless they have been trained to dodge multiple bullets.

The classic economic tradeoff in Macro-Economics 101 was guns versus butter. You seem to be saying that we should spend as much as possible on arms and as little as possible to feed the poor. How is that consistent with Christianity?

 

[targus]

The classic economic tradeoff in Macro-Economics 101 was guns versus butter.

In the old Soviet Union and North Korea that is true.

But it has not been true in the U.S.

You seem to be saying that we should spend as much as possible on arms and as little as possible to feed the poor. How is that consistent with Christianity?

How do you get that from his post?

His post says nothing about feeding the poor so it is not possible to draw such a conclusion.

Your misunderstanding most likely comes from nothing more than your prejudices.

 

[Salty]

The classic economic tradeoff in Macro-Economics 101 was guns versus butter. You seem to be saying that we should spend as much as possible on arms and as little as possible to feed the poor. How is that consistent with Christianity?

We as Christians - thur our churches should feed the poor - physically and spiritually! And our church does that thur the SBC Co-op and other ministries we are involved in.

Let me repeat myself - it is unconstitutional for the US Federal govt to be spending money for social programs. If I am misguided, please provide me chapter and verse of the Constitution.
Remember, States or Commonwealths are not prohibited from doing so.