The U.S. Capitol Building is pictured in Washington, February 27, 2013. REUTERS/Jason Reed
Military Times: The military could see big changes if Democrats win control of Congress
WASHINGTON — In July, as lawmakers were putting the final touches on a $716 billion defense authorization bill for fiscal 2019, members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus unveiled their own plans to severely slash Pentagon spending.
“The Trump agenda drastically cuts programs supporting working families … while giving massive tax cuts to big corporations and bloating the military budget beyond belief,” their proposed spending plan stated. “(This plan) takes a very different path, reinvests in American families, and prioritizes funding for education, health care, jobs and clean air and water.”
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WNU Editor: If the Democrats win the House of Representatives, it will definitely not be business as usual when it comes to the Pentagon's budget. The Progressive faction within the Democrat Party are the ones who are driving the Democrat agenda right now, and they have made their opinions very clear when it comes to the military. I do expect major battles over the defense budget, and cuts in programs and what is procured.
4 comments:
Defense industries need a wake up. They've needed one for decades. One that lasts. Costs are unacceptable.
The complexity of some of the stuff is detrimental. It enlarges the need for maintenance and logistics people. None of whom pull triggers but they still get a paycheck.
Since their priorities will be different, does this mean we get to end the Cold War with Russia and China. This was never a good idea anyway. Going out of one's way to foment wars was/is never a good idea anyway. Doing so while gutting the military and in general mistreating it is an even worse idea.
For all Trump's faults, at least he does seem to understand if we are going to be on the level of Russia and China we are going to need things like a space based force, advances in nuclear weapons, etc. To do this will obviously mean resources will need to be used. With that said for a country with a massive national debt, crumbling infrastructure making many parts of it comparable to the "third world," third rate, if that, healthcare, poor public an secondary education, and a broken down military to be playing great power "games" seems insane.
So, if the Democrats, should they win have new priorities that mean cuts to the military might be a good thing as long as it is coupled with real peace initiatives towards countries like Russia and China that lessen the tensions and lead to a realistic path to end the new Cold War that US leaders needlessly went out of the way to start and to foment. At least this is how it looks to me.
Personally I would prefer a foreign policy along the lines of countries like Canada, Australia, New Zeland, and I can think of a host of others. All of these countries are more secure, their citizens are wealthier, healthier, and have greater opportunities for advancement than those of the so called America "superpower." Study these countries and try to implement.
Also, the loss of the US dollar as world reserve currency is inevitable. A plan for this needs to be in place with the goal of working to ensure a "soft landing" as opposed to a "hard landing." With regards to any foreign policy the question needs to be asked will this help, hinder, or is it indifferent to the should be goal of a soft landing. Right now it appears to me that most of our foreign policy actions run contrary to what should be the goal of a soft landing when the inevitable end does occur. In fact, they seem almost certain to achieve the exact opposite.
I reiterate if the desired goal of incoming democrats should they take the House is to rearrange priorities while simultaneously taking actions to reduce tensions with Russia and China that will provide a realistic path to end the new Cold War this would actually be a good thing.
Roger (11:55AM),
Spot on!! I couldn't have said this better myself. I would add that the complexity of this stuff makes it impractical for a major conflict against a peer power such as Russia or China. The equipment is prone to break down more often, requires a certain degree of intellect to operate meaning fewer are able to do it, and is harder to mass produce in the quantities that would be needed to sustain such a conflict.
The Dems in the House would want big cuts in Defense and pass bill after bill to create Medicare for all. Nothing would ever get passed for new funding, just CR's for 2 years and govt shutdowns..
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