10% cut in military budget

[JBM]

Just read an article on fox news saying Obama asked the Joint Chiefs to cut $55 billion from the FS 2010 military budget.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/30/defense-official-obama-calling-defense-budget-cuts/

Aparently weapons programs are going to take the biggest hit.

 

[Uncle Fester]

And so it begins.

Here's the ironic thing...they're so concerned about unemployment, and getting Americans back to work, and helping those with jobs to keep them.

Who do they think works for all these defense contractors?

 

[JBM]

Who do they think works for all these defense contractors?

My thoughts exactly

 

[Spekkio]

Considering the latest debacles with DDX, JSF, etc., I don't see why asking the Pentagon to find ways to cut costs on weapons programs is unwarranted or a surprise.

 

[GroundPounder]

And so it begins.

Here's the ironic thing...they're so concerned about unemployment, and getting Americans back to work, and helping those with jobs to keep them.

Who do they think works for all these defense contractors?

Those are not the jobs they were talking about. You want to plant a tree in the city, or paint over graffiti on an overpass, they've got plenty of those lined up for you.

 

[BlackBearHockey]

And so it begins.

Here's the ironic thing...they're so concerned about unemployment, and getting Americans back to work, and helping those with jobs to keep them.

Who do they think works for all these defense contractors?

That's been one of my biggest gripes with the whole stimulus package. Instead of investing in building a strong foundation for recycling employment, we're dumping money into putting the unemployment fiasco on pause. Instead of investing in turning, for instance, out of work GM plants into long term manufacturing plants of something else, like the Toledo plant which now makes solar power equipment, or, maybe, dumping money into making bigger/better schools (which require more teachers, support staff, and creates jobs in the energy/waste/government support jobs - which won't go away), we're praising the short term fix.

This is just another example...

 

[Bevo16]

My thoughts exactly

Most of my thoughts are to profane to post and are a direct violation of the UCMJ anyway.

We have plenty of taxpayer money to pay for abortions overseas. The American taxpayer can bail out everyone from GM, Ford, the state of California, and everyone in between. The first time the new president gets around to cutting spending, it's the Military that takes the hit. And he is doing this at the same time he is talking about increasing the size of the Army and Marine Corps?

Someone needs to tell the CIC that "Hope" does not win wars. Having a better trained and outfitted military is what wins wars.

Here comes older equipment, less training, lower manning, etc. I am sure that this will be more incentive for our top sailors and soldiers to stay in the service as well.

 

[incubus852]

Ok, am I the only one that thinks our economy has become too involved and dependent on industries such as the defense industry?

Didn't eisenhower say beware of the military-industrial complex? Now we have an defense industry that is assured government funds and in turn, continually cuts corners, delivers sub-standard products and in the end just wastes YOUR hard earned money?

Look what's happened with the auto industry. Unions were allowed to go crazy, the product has suffered and not stood up against competitors and now we're subsidizing an undeserving industry and some of the employees and executives of those industries...


Yea, yea, I know we're in the military, and I should be all OORAH and crap... but I'm not about this.

And another thing... there are SO many defense projects out there that seem like such a waste of money. So maybe some cuts aren't so bad?

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

I had a big rant but instead I'll keep it to the point. No matter what the administration does and no matter what effect it has on the military I think we all need to remember these two words that echo in my mind during tough times.

Drive on.

 

[nittany03]

You reform the "military/industrial complex" by spending money more wisely, not cutting the budget indiscriminately.

 

[H60Gunner]

This could very well mean MY job. It will be nice to know that I was laid off to fund some social experiment. At least I have a heads up......

 

[picklesuit]

So, as was pointed out to us so artfully once a democrat was elected, it is against the UCMJ for me to voice my true opinion about my boss, I will now resort to posting "ARTICLE 88" when I want to say more explicit, Pickle-like comments. It is the only way I can stay out of trouble and avoid the banninator.

There are places to cut the budget in our military, as there are in any business, but our weapons are not it. The 54" Plasma TV's in every room on every Air Farce base are a start. The excessive police force required to enforce "speed-bump compliance" (I'm not joking, I wish I was) is another good spot. Sending us towards having the biggest knife in a gun-fight is not.

 

[phrogdriver]

Military spending is a lot better stimulus than a lot of other crap they've talked about. Send $300 checks out to every d-bag in America, and all you get are a bunch of Natty Lite and scratch-off tickets. Spend that money on the military, and at least you have a freakin' tank or plane or something useful afterwards.

On another note, can we please give our new president the same respect I always wished the left would have given President Bush, and at least refer to him by title, President Obama, or the president. I don't refer to a sergeant by last name only, much less the President of the United States of America.

 

[MasterBates]

What Phrogdriver said.

Also, I want an "Article 88" button.

 

[The Chief]

Considering the latest debacles with DDX, JSF, etc., I don't see why asking the Pentagon to find ways to cut costs on weapons programs is unwarranted or a surprise.

The devil be in the details. Not saying there is no fat but .....

If we eliminate the following, we would be up the $34 Billion in savings (FY-2010): Word of caution: I am not sure the administration has said cut 10 % in DoD spending or the DoD 2009 Budget, two different things, by a factor of two. If we eliminated the following procurements the following savings would accrue, minus any BCTL, e$timates rounded.

Missle Defense 8
F-35 6
F-22 4
Future C/S 4
CVN-21 3
F/A-18E/F 3
Virginia Class 3
V-22 3

Would still need about 16 Billion$ more in cuts.

Second largest portion of DoD budget is payroll, only OM&N takes a slightly larger share. Cut pay by 10%??? Some are saying yes. Most often heard from the liberal arm chair admirals in my midst say:

(A) Include BAS/BAH as portion of normal pay and allowance, thus making it taxable. (B) Scale back the far to generous retirement system.