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Our GDP is over $14.5 trillion. The total budget for FY 2010 is $3.5 trillion. Our entire budget is around 22% of GDP. Sorry, but you are confusing terminology and interpreting those charts incorrectly.
In order to answer the poll I need some answers.
1. Do we intend to reduce their work load?
2. Do we continue to be used as the main arm of the UN?
3. Do we stop politicians from adding pork to the military budget?
4. Are we going to sacrfice training and equip maintenance to make up for the spending cuts as we did under Clinton?
1. Yes, decrease the work load. We can't be everyones savior, all the time. In reality we aren't. If we were going to invade every country with a whacked out dictator, or where genocide is occurring, we'd be in a whole lot more wars than we are now.
2. I would think not. If the UN wants to go to war, lets only make up 25% of the total force, instead of 50 to 75%.
3. Abso-freakin-lutely
4. No, you lower the current size of manpower by 25%. With the savings of on keeping that 25% in, logistics, food, training, etc, we could afford to keep the remaining forces in top form.
I don't support pay cuts to the military, I just don't think we need one the size we have now.
The F-35 is supposed to keep our air power top rated for the next 40 years.
Most large scale wars are focused on air power. We should only need ground troops for invasion, and we shouldn't be invading anyone, unless they invaded us, or an ally.
No, it would be a bad mistake to cut military spending at this time. Its not like we could just leave Iraq and Afghanistan in short order.
If the federal budget has to be cut, cutting social spending would "save" far more. Social Security spending itself is nine times more then ALL military spending combined. Cutting military spending rarely saves much.
I image this isn't what the original poster was aiming for.
1. Yes, decrease the work load. We can't be everyones savior, all the time. In reality we aren't. If we were going to invade every country with a whacked out dictator, or where genocide is occurring, we'd be in a whole lot more wars than we are now.
2. I would think not. If the UN wants to go to war, lets only make up 25% of the total force, instead of 50 to 75%.
3. Abso-freakin-lutely
4. No, you lower the current size of manpower by 25%. With the savings of on keeping that 25% in, logistics, food, training, etc, we could afford to keep the remaining forces in top form.
I don't support pay cuts to the military, I just don't think we need one the size we have now.
The F-35 is supposed to keep our air power top rated for the next 40 years.
Most large scale wars are focused on air power. We should only need ground troops for invasion, and we shouldn't be invading anyone, unless they invaded us, or an ally.
Solid post...
In the past we have seen cuts. These cuts did not reflect a reduced work load.
The UN. A burden at best and an absolute waste at worst. Not only do we foot a large% of the bill but are expected to supply materials and weapons and man power often on missions that have no hope of success. Worse still we place our troops under foreign command.
I question why we man S.Korea's border but find it impossible to secure our own southern border.
The F-35 is a great Idea but falls short as an air superiority fighter.
I agree with just about everything you said. Unfortunately our elected reps will decide that we need a new golf course or a new road or 7 new tricked out jets for them to fly around in.
If we are serious about balancing the budget, why not decrease the size of the military, and our military spending. I'd feel safe with spending twice as much as China, wouldn't you?
we spend more on welfare and medicaid than we do on the military
we spend more on welfare and medicaid than we do on the military
medicaid it self was 298 billion this past year
welfare and food stamps was over 690 billion
the military budget 610 billion
cut welfare before you cut the military
Source? Then we discuss.
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