Posted on 11/07/2010 2:06:31 PM PST by fabrizio
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen.-elect Rand Paul says GOP lawmakers must be open to cutting military spending as Congress tries to reduce government spending.
The tea party favorite from Kentucky says compromise with Democrats over where to cut spending must include the military as well as social programs. Paul says all government spending must be “on the table.”
Paul tells ABC’s “This Week” that he supports a constitutional amendment calling for a balanced budget.
“For him to place the mission of the armed forces on the same level of legitimacy as liberal’s extra-constitutional social programs is not merely ignorant—it’s damned ludicrous.”
Yes, not one dollar less than the $600B+ a year they get now. How could the military possibly get by on less than that without jeopardizing our security. Why, if they had to scrape by on $500B, our entire way of life would collapse.
Why not consider pulling out of Europe? 65 years after the fall of Nazi Germany seems long enough. We still have troops in Japan too. Do we really need them there?
There may be good arguments to keep theses bases open, but assuming that planes ships and troop cuts are first on his list is premature.
The fact is that our military defense has been subsidizing socialism in Western Europe and Israel for two generations. Let them dismantle some of their social welfare state too. If we’re going to have to pay for socialism in the world, I’d rather be paying for the social benefit of Americans than for Belgians or Germans.
Not so fast. If it’s a government program you can guarantee there is massive spending waste somewhere. I have a brother who works for a company that lives off military contracts. They readily admit in some departments it takes no more then a half hour a day to do their jobs. That and they are paid 60.00 an hour with unlimited overtime for a mid talent, non college degree positions. He and my sister in law rake in 120,000 a year each and the toughest part of their day is the job justification meetings.
Cut everything that is unconstitutional out of the budget. Then come talk to me about the defense portion of that spending.
But when you start with defense, your motives are highly suspect as far as I’m concerned.
You can CUT $30-60 BILLION out of the military budget without EVER touching a true military program.
Democrats have loaded the military bills up with that much Pork in the last 4 years.
Paul is right in also looking at the military. My Army service doesn’t qualify me as an expert but I can tell you that mucho money is being wasted day in and day out. Starters, military seminars on diversity, Islamic relations, etc. Build the tanks, jets, and ships and cut out all the nonsense.
Knowing the Paul family mindset, the first thing they want cut is support for Israel.
And I'm deadly serious about that.
NO, wars cost things - equipment needs repair/replacement, troops need training to maintain readiness levels that let us kick tail like we have. Clinton cut our military to the muscle and bones, Bush was barely able to prosecute the war using our Guard and Reserves. Has the world suddenly become safer? There are realities and there are unrealities. Paul is treading dangerously into unreality. We cannot afford to cut our military spending.
20% across the board ACTUAL spending CUTS for ALL gov’t. If the Defense dept needs more they can explain why they need it just like all other revenue consumers. Limited gov’t means LIMITED gov’t. No one’s PORK is better than another’s. The US is broke. Everyone PAYS.
It isn't just procurement either. If the public knew how much the military is spending on bogus environmental projects they'd be the ones up in arms.
Cutting the perks and salary of the politicians need to be on the table before any cutting of our military.
We need our military, we don’t need politician$ who make a career of instituting ‘control’ laws at our expense.
Like you, I'm glad we kept the seat, and it is certainly better than Conway, which is why I didn't really engage in any further active criticism after Paul won the primary fair and square. He's spot on, like his father, when it comes to domestic welfare program spending, repealing the health care law and implementing other reforms (like breaking the barrier between state lines)...not so much on other things.
cut the EPA, the NEA and repeal the EPA, cut the ATFE, cut the State Department, Cut NPR,Etc.
Leave the military alone.
Stay on the rails Rand!
What part of the US is BROKE do you not understand?
Military spending is not the problem!
It's entitlements, heck entitlements were out of control before Obama!
Now they are exponentially out of control.
In fact I would argue we need an increase in military spending. Our Navy is almost disastrously too small, and we are starting to border on losing our technological edge in air superiority. Now I agree that DOD spending is often misspent but that's a different problem.
This is one of the things that bother me about libertarians, they seem to be a fantasy driven in their ideology as any leftist.
True that - also need to see about innovating. Difficult when it comes to a monopolistic entity, but certainly something like military cannot be open to privatization and competition...that’s one thing that is certainly closed to such a reform.
Military spending IS a POLITICAL spending PROBLEM. I say again, what part of the US is BROKE, do you NOT understand?
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