Military Spending Necessity

[Dittohead not!]

Ya think? What bothers me the most is that it's so easy to see that it's being done deliberately in order to crash the economy, yet americans are so dumb that - how is it that I , knowing nothing about politics or the economy can see it and noone else does? And if others do, why isn't he impeached? Look, Mr. Obama, we're impeaching you right now before you do any more damage. Youi just gave out another billion with the situation we are in, and you are obviously not concerned with getting out of debt and restructuring the economy. At the actual impeachment, numerous other charges could be read off and added to the list, including criminal charges and acts against the american people. But this doesn't happen. WHY????????

Perhaps because spending bills originate not in the White House, but in the Congress?

and because the runaway growth of government, including the giving away of taxpayer (and borrowed) money has been going on for decades.

and, why would anyone deliberately try to collapse the economy?

 

[Fenton]

683.7 BILLION for 12 months? A billion, as you know, is a THOUSAND million.
Nothing costs that much over a 12 month period. PERIOD! Why do we let this fly?? If we had spent 500 million, instead, over that 12 month period, we wouldn't be any less safe. It doesn't add up. We're fools. I know where alot of it is going. Care to take a guess?

How about you itemize our military spending before making generic statements.

 

[upsideguy]

Much of the military spending goes to Americans, too.
but you do make a good point about giving it away to foreign governments, especially to the likes of Egypt and its Muslim Brotherhood government.
Maybe we just need to quit giving away money, period?

The fact that much, but not all, of it goes to Americans, off the books, makes it ok? 100% of welfare and medicaid go to Americans yet the Cons are screaming about government waste and want to roll it back.... and most of these are ON the books.

 

[sKiTzo]

Perhaps because spending bills originate not in the White House, but in the Congress?

This is true, senators like Mccain write them but it has got to be in concert with a larger group, given the size of some of these bills and amount they churn out. They must get together and decide what is needed and go from there. Problem is, WE DON"T NEED 90% of the SHT they conjure up. What they are conjuring up is a threat to the american people and it's BLLSHT and the people need to be strong and handle this sht and basically step in and call time-out. Whoah why are there empty prisons all over the country? Confront them with all the DHS insanity and tell them it's not ok to sign bills that allow for the detaining of American citizens and it's not ok to do away with Habeus Corpus, or to dismantle the Constitution, etc. IT'S NOT OK. Start recalling reps and congress members. This is what should be happening and it's not. Is it the fluoride? What is causing the American people to do absolutely nothing while America is slowly being turned into Nazi Germany? Later is too late.

and because the runaway growth of government, including the giving away of taxpayer (and borrowed) money has been going on for decades.

It has, but never while TRILLIONS in debt. There's a big difference.

and, why would anyone deliberately try to collapse the economy?

Ever read the Georgia Guidestones?

 

[sKiTzo]

How about you itemize our military spending before making generic statements.

Good one! A rogue government doesn't itemize.

 

[American]

Military spending is so astronomically exorbitant that in the face of a struggling economym the debt we have incurred, and the prospect of a total economic collapse, it's insane.

My question is, have they ever published or released an itemized account of where every dollar went? I think it would be interesting for the following reasons:

Does anybody stop for a minute, and ponder the sheer magnitude of how much money this actually is? If it was necessary to spend that much on military to be "safe" and "secure", don't you think China would spend that much or more? After all, they are the ones loaning us the money so it's not like they can't afford it. One thing that gives me a bad feeling about it is the lack of evidence that the security of our nation is or has even been threatened to the degree that justifies such zealous action. In fact, the few threats that have occurred, such as 911 - are viewed by many as false flags engineered by the military industrial complex to be exploited and used to justify all the spending and passing of bills that undermine the constitution.

We have enough bombs to blow up the milky way, there are only so many planes you can buy, only so many you can buy and give to Israel (wtf?). Where is this money really going???

Military spending as a percentage of the federal budget is half of what it was during the 1960's when everyone claims we had all kind of prosperity. So WTF are you talking about?

 

[Gimmesometruth]

Military spending as a percentage of the federal budget is half of what it was during the 1960's when everyone claims we had all kind of prosperity. So WTF are you talking about?

Probably the fact that it makes up over 60% of discretionary spending.

 

[Helix]

all existing commitments to veterans should be met and expanded as needed.

as for everything else, our military should be given an entirely new global mission that more closely resembles us being a country than us as the world's security force. we need to choose between the nice to haves and the must haves when it comes to troop strength and equipment. the budget needs to be cut to more closely resemble a nation of our size. it's possible we might need to spend more than everyone else, but not everyone else combined.

 

[Fenton]

Good one! A rogue government doesn't itemize.

If we dont itemize then how do you know whats a necessity and what's "BLSHT" ?

 

[Dittohead not!]

The fact that much, but not all, of it goes to Americans, off the books, makes it ok? 100% of welfare and medicaid go to Americans yet the Cons are screaming about government waste and want to roll it back.... and most of these are ON the books.

Military spending has to be on the table for cuts along with everything else, but we have to be careful. We can't blame the current deficit on runaway military spending, nor can we afford to not have a strong military.

It's not as if the world were full of reasonable people willing to just get along.

 

[Dittohead not!]

This is true, senators like Mccain write them but it has got to be in concert with a larger group, given the size of some of these bills and amount they churn out. They must get together and decide what is needed and go from there. Problem is, WE DON"T NEED 90% of the SHT they conjure up. What they are conjuring up is a threat to the american people and it's BLLSHT and the people need to be strong and handle this sht and basically step in and call time-out. Whoah why are there empty prisons all over the country? Confront them with all the DHS insanity and tell them it's not ok to sign bills that allow for the detaining of American citizens and it's not ok to do away with Habeus Corpus, or to dismantle the Constitution, etc. IT'S NOT OK. Start recalling reps and congress members. This is what should be happening and it's not. Is it the fluoride? What is causing the American people to do absolutely nothing while America is slowly being turned into Nazi Germany? Later is too late.

We're a long way from Nazi Germany, but also a long way from what this country was designed to be. No, runaway spending, runaway growth of government, ignoring the Constitution, none of that is OK, nor has it ever been.

In a government of the people, it will take the will of the people to turn those trends around. What do you think the odds are of such a thing actually happening? We keep reelecting the same people to Congress over and over.

It has, but never while TRILLIONS in debt. There's a big difference.

Not really. It's just a difference in scale, not in kind.
Moreover, expenditures have been pretty flat for the past four years.

Ever read the Georgia Guidestones?

No.

 

[Gimmesometruth]

We can't blame the current deficit on runaway military spending,

Well, we certainly can place a value upon it's contribution to this fiscal year deficit since it does amount to the majority of discretionary spending. I don't think anyone is making an absolute argument "blaming" all of the deficit upon military spending.

 

[Gimmesometruth]

Moreover, expenditures have been pretty flat for the past four years.

False, fed expenditures on just "defense" (not including vet pension/care, interest on current/past spending...) has risen from $621B in '06 to $878B in '11.

 

[Dittohead not!]

False, fed expenditures on just "defense" (not including vet pension/care, interest on current/past spending...) has risen from $621B in '06 to $878B in '11.

Federal spending took a jump in 2008, and another in 2009, but has remained pretty constant since then.

 

[American]

Probably the fact that it makes up over 60% of discretionary spending.

All spending is discretionary, it's all voted on by Congress. Hey, it's 100% of military spending......wow, looks giant now.

 

[American]

Federal spending took a jump in 2008, and another in 2009, but has remained pretty constant since then.

1992-2012

Discretionary up $489B/yr
Entitlements up $1077B/yr

....but let's cut discretionary. :roll:

 

[johnny_rebson]

We need to carry a big stick.

The fact that we can blow up the world five times over gets us respect from other nations.

 

[Dittohead not!]

1992-2012

Discretionary up $489B/yr
Entitlements up $1077B/yr

....but let's cut discretionary. :roll:

By definition, "discretionary" is the only thing that can be cut.

Unless, of course, we can redefine what is discretionary.

 

[American]

By definition, "discretionary" is the only thing that can be cut.

Unless, of course, we can redefine what is discretionary.

I refuse to accept that our national budget is the small part called Discretionary, and the large part is.....well we don't talk about that. :ssst:

 

[Dittohead not!]

I refuse to accept that our national budget is the small part called Discretionary, and the large part is.....well we don't talk about that. :ssst:

Non discretionary?

Everything is "discretionary", except perhaps the interest on the national debt. Everything needs to be on the cutting table.

If not, the coming "fiscal cliff" will make the current one look like what it is: a speed bump.

 

[Dittohead not!]

 

[head of joaquin]

Republican solution, stop feeding grandma and the kids, and sell the car that you drive to work with. Oh, but keep buying a bunch of expensive guns.

Good plan!

Don't you love these quaint household metaphors!

 

[Gonzo Rodeo]

Defense spending is government spending. In the Keynesian sense of the word. It injects money into the economy. It pays salaries and sends people's kids to college. It builds infrastructure, contributes to manufacturing, and bolsters exports.

It does everything the Democrats say they think government spending is good for.

 

[Dittohead not!]

Republican solution, stop feeding grandma and the kids, and sell the car that you drive to work with. Oh, but keep buying a bunch of expensive guns.

Good plan!

Don't you love these quaint household metaphors!

Actually, the Republican plan is the same as the Democratic plan: Blame all of the sh*** on the other party.

 

[Gimmesometruth]

Federal spending took a jump in 2008, and another in 2009, but has remained pretty constant since then.

The subject at hand is US MILITARY SPENDING.

It has increased by over 41% in the time frame I described.

You are avoiding the point.