as i see it..we do need to spend billions of dollars to keep us safe in a dangerous world. I get that. But how much will ever be "enough"? I was listening to Allan Simpson the other day, who in his very long time in the Senate was very much a backer of Defense Spending. But then we had numerous wars going on including Viet Nam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. But by the end of 2014 we should be all but out of those places. And OK, there are bad people in other places around the world that we should be ready to defend ourselves against, I'm thinking N. Koea, China, even Russia. But we (the American taxpayer) spend more on Defense than the next 20 countries combined, and most of those are our "Allies". If not our Allies, who are we preparing to fight? How much of the spending is truely needed? But woe be the politician who suggests cutting the Defense budget. When we stop military spending we cut off American jobs, and those jobs have been spread so nicely over the country (especially in the districts of powerful politicians). Cutting Defense even when we have more than we will likely ever need is the "3rd Rail" of American politics. Before he left office, President Eisenhower (somewhat of a military man himself) warned us against the growth of the Military Industrial Complex that would get so big, so neccessary to our lives, that it could never come under control. Maybe we have arrived at that point. I hope not.
So what should whoever wins the White House and Senate do next year? Cut the Defense Budget to only TWICE the amount of the next largest spenders. After the HOWLING,renting of garments, and nashing of teeth, tell the Pentagon to figure out the best way to spend that much. Then fully fund Medicare, Social Security, and begin to pay down the National Debt.
