Budget before defense?

[LZA]

It looks like Obama is cutting or wants to cut the military budget to save money:

Budget cuts to slash U.S. Army to smallest since before World War Two

I would agree with the cuts on the standpoint that we should be fixing ourselves and our economy before helping others out. Get out of all the other countries, and concentrate on ourselves. Unless every other country is buffing up their military, I don't see the harm in it; and I don't think anyone is going to attack us during this time.

I think we are in a bigger war now, an ECONOMIC war with other counties for jobs and such, and we're losing. We can't keep pissing away jobs like we are and think we'll be stable. manufacturing is all but gone, the reason why we got so rich was because after WWII, Europe was obliterated and we were free to make anything. Now it's not the case. Now the playing field is leveled and we need to take care of ourselves. I don't think any one will (or can) come and take over our country, so why no save some $$ by cutting the military budget...As long as they spend the saved money in the right places...

Do you think the military budget should be cut or do we need to find our savings elsewhere?

[velvetfog]

As long as they spend the saved money in the right places...

It never had the money in the first place.
The U.S. Federal Government has gotten by on increasing amounts of borrowed money for many years.

Do you think the military budget should be cut or do we need to find our savings elsewhere?

Do both.

Take a good look at this page: http://www.usdebtclock.org/
Note the difference between the US Federal Tax Revenue and the US Federal Spending items.
Then you might come to understand something about the scope of the problem.

(This post was last modified: 02-24-2014, 11:51 PM by velvetfog.)

[srijantje]

i don't want to be of topic,but shouldn't this thread be called,"budget before offence"?

you could hardly argue you"helped"the Irakis for example

[velvetfog]

If America reduces the number of bombs and rockets it deploys in the third world, that means layoffs in some of the American munitions plants.
None of the members of congress wants the layoffs to happen in their district.

[srijantje]

it's only gonna be soldiers that are laid of and end up without a job and not being looked after,the high tech boys are going to make more money then ever

[velvetfog]

Yes, it appears to be so.
America's most modern technology, the drone warfare, can be operated with next to no grunts in the field.
Most of the drones, wherever they happen to fly, are controlled via satellite links from a control center in Florida.

[LZA]

Well, if there is a country I can think of that could did it's way out as quick as it got into it, it's the US We just need the smart people & direction to do so.

As far as the soldiers, as I understand most of the trained soldiers were replaced with coast and national guardsmen so they don't have to pay as much in benefits... As far as I say let them come home; then need a break anyway.

[velvetfog]

Demobilizing a large number of soldiers will cause an increase in the U.S. unemployment rate.
It will likely also cause increases in suicides and in the numbers of ex-army junkies in the cities.

[System Folder]

We can't keep them in the military just because they'll be sad if they're not. If they can't readjust to civilian life, that's their problem.

[srijantje]

you're sort of right,after all they volunteered in the first place