Want to reduce the deficit/debt? Start here.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/dod-stuck-flawed-1-5-111500664.html

I'm a strong advocate of a strong defense, but at what point do we stop holding the taxpayers accountable for defense contractors' blunders/failures? Pissed about corporate bailouts? The GM bailout pails in comparison to the private defense industry.

 

There's tons of fat to cut at every level, and we should cut it.

 

The military budget is the first place that really needs a long, hard look. Unfortunately, a large portion of the right wing side gets its panties in a wad anytime you start talking military cuts, claiming you are un-American.

I want a strong defense just as much as the next guy, and think R&D is key here. But do we really need to maintain an army capable of taking on a non-existent super power?

And military projects, like road projects, have a LOT of inertia. And once started, people are afraid to pull the plug because of sunk-costs.

 

Absolutely. Walk around an army base, and through a couple of directorates and you'll have no trouble identifying large amounts of waste. It makes no sense to continue throwing good money after bad. In the F-35's case if someone would have manned up to the problems 20 years ago and started over, we'd probably be in better shape on that program. There's nothing sacrosanct about defense dollars. We need a strong military capability, but it shouldn't be a blanket excuse to refuse to find room to cut. Sequestration simply reduced the annual increase in the defense budget and to hear Republicans, some Democrats, and Pentagon officials tell the story we were burning our military into the ground.

 

There is a very large civil service union that screams loudly when cuts are threatened. I get 20 emails a day from the local union president announcing their plans to fight this, that, or the other cutback. This isn't specific to the right wing.

 

the military procurement process is an utter disaster and couldn't be structured any worse.

The civilians in the process are unionized GS 200 types who have no risk and no downside with any project and cost savings they generate for their annual reviews are steeped in the proposed budgets that are stupid from the start.

Gov't regulated procurement needs to go away ASAP. The defense contractor is simply taking advantage of the gov't regulation and procurement process.

 

this is absolutely true and has gone a long way in destroying the system. About 90% of those jobs should go away, but the massive regs volumes are filled with inane requirements that demand manpower and useless hours. Guess who likes the regs?

 

Absolutely. I am sorry if I implied it was only a right-wing issue.

 

don't ever assume the lefty politicians avoid schmoozing every single defense contractor on earth who might get them votes or donate funds.

 

What I find hilarious, I have almost always voted Republican. But the party has lost its way, the neo-conservative movement and the hijacking of the party by the Fundamentalist Christian Right has made me all but abandon the GOP.

And my dad now thinks I am some commie-socialist.

But I digress the topic.

The military, social security and medicare portions of the budget are so huge and so intertwined with our economy, will it even be possible in a single lifetime to undo it? Or is it too late?

 

Our Democratic delegation has made sure Electric Boat continues to pump out Virginia Class subs like they're welfare babies

 

I don't really recall any government being able to put the cat back in the bag.

 

Yes, yes, yes!!! This cannot be overstated...YES!

 

Every govt organization is this way. Cut the military budget and the military will claim they have to either cut soldiers on the ground or make them less safe. cut school funding and they'll start laying off teachers. no one looks at the fat that can be cut. why? because then it begs the question as to why it hasn't been cut in the first place. cut the soldiers or teachers and you can pull the "think of the children!" card.

 

So, we've found something we all can agree on?

BOOM! I'm a uniter not a divider.

 

Whoa there jay...

Let's not cut the DOD budget for at least a few more weeks...

Then, we'll all agree.

 

Subtle "think about the children" post, imo.

 

Children? I need a vacation, bad.

 

5 paid weeks not enough?

 

I work for a contractor there, hoss.

It took me years to build up my 7 or so weeks I have in the bank.