2 Answers

Vinny, you're a sensible guy. Don't you think that maybe, just maybe, the US could survive globally by spending a little less than they are now? How much is enough? 90% of all fed tax revenues?

This country is so overburdened with special interests groups and entitlements and a running government that caters to such 'endowments' that we are broke, not the military. If anything, we need to support the military as every country in the world calls on us to fight their battles. Something must give. I would rather have a strong military than a bunch of lazy whiners demanding that we tax payers pay their way, stupid research funded by the government to evaluate the normal size a human penis. I could go on with these silly squanders but it would do no good. We better keep our eye on China as their goal is to take the entire asian pacific for starters, they want us out of there, also, North Korea, Iran on the other side and who knows what surprises await us.. China is building their military on a daily basis, our purchasing of their goods is assuring this. But what choice do we have? We don't make anything anymore.. We fix stuff. Soon we will be without a military or with one that can not compete and what military we will have will be slaughtered. The 'feel-good' mentality of liberal America will be the death of us all..

I agree that special interest groups abound but the military is one of those very groups.Is there a more successful lobby group in America? Nearly 10% annual budget increases since year 2000. Inflation has been running in the low single digits throughout.Numbers speak for themselves,with all the wasteful spending that you only began to describe, the fact remains that the military slice dwarfs any other expenditures. The rest is small potatoes,relatively speaking. So if you want to tackle the deficit, let alone worrying about the ever-growing debt, you've got to tackle the big ticket items.There is no bigger ticket.
No one's suggesting a stripped down version but why isn't anyone accountable for the wasteful Irak war.And I don't consider booting the Republicans out of office as a full act of accountability.

I don't know if I consider the iraq was wasteful when we were able to stop a tyranny that was a breeding ground for terrorism, I don't think we did a bad thing by freeing these tormented 'peaceful' people of mass killings and torture, we built schools, we built libraries and hospitals, we cared for young and old, we gave them the confidence to build and thrive. I don't think the people of Iraq would say it was a 'wasteful' war.. I have seen the pictures and i have talked to the soldiers that have been there, it is completely different than you hear and see on liberal TV..

I do know that our military doesn't come cheap, but cripes, we have already downsized to just a 'smidget' of what were once was.. Here in the bay Area of CA where I am, there were about 6 military bases shut down, one about 2 miles from me, billions of dollars in warships that were decommissioned and destroyed, this list goes on, all this in Clinton years. And i voted for him! I know our military is expensive but when I see that a kevlar vest cost $1,700 when you can buy one privately for $149 NS fighter jet cost 330 million apiece you must wonder if its really the military you want to cut or its suppliers.. The US government takes no discount bargain prices, it does not haggle deals from American companies, therefore, these greed stricken contractors are ripping us apart. Don't cut the military, cut the cost to the suppliers of military goods. There is no reason why a frigging screwdriver should cost the taxpayers 500 bucks.. Look it up!