Question of the day for fiscal conservatives: Should Defense be immune from budget cuts? In defense of Defense, it's actually a constitutionally prescribed duty of the federal government, unlike a lot of the other nonsense that is funded these days. And keeping us safe from all the evil in the world is a complicated business, so the fear of cutting the wrong thing is justified. BUT. The cuts needed in government, especially i9n the short term, just can't be made without considering Defense:
We should be looking strategically at the role of the US in the world, especially in Europe. We spend a fortune providing security to what has become a very stable and interconnected region. Our investment in Europe should be reconsidered in light of our economic problems. We won't be able to withdraw from Korea for obvious reasons, nor should we scale back our naval power as we need to continue to protect shipping routes for secure and reliable global trade. If we really want to stop deficit spending now, we have to look for the opportunities to cut in the short term as well as the painful and necessary long-term reforms in entitlements, and that means the Pentagon is going to have to share the load.
For obvious reasons, we need to be more careful in cutting Defense than in cutting other federal spending. But it can't be off the table completely.
Comments
Contrary to what most of the bed wetting leftists think, a lot of us conservatives have no problem whacking the bejeesus out of a lot of the military budget anymore.
Since you elected the Prom King and turned him and the student council loose with the checkbook, 4 trillion later I'm willing to cut anything.
Since we're going to reshape the military into a diverse and fabulous team of sensitive and tolerant individuals and the rules of engagement will never let us win a war anyway, what the hell, gut it and bring them home.
We'll set up a perimeter and the hell with everybody else. That ought to make everybody happy no?
Tim - Not having the problem with incontinance that you addressed and not being a leftist, I still believe your suggested solution is wrong - that's what was done in the late 20's and early 30's (Taft-Hawley to be exact) and got us deeply into the GREAT Depression! Surely as a country we learned something from that! There is a better way to return to the economic principles that created the greatest economic powerhouse that has ever existed!
Correction - It was the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act which put us in issolation with the rest of the world.
I haven't wet the bed lately, either, but it's nice to see at least two conservatives conceding that military cuts will be necessary.
Furthermore, since we're involved in two optional Mideast wars, it would be an easy thing to do.
It's nice when I can agree with my usual opponents.
Cheers.