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Should the US Defense budget be increased?

Should the US Defense budget be increased?

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Jredbaron96

Jredbaron96

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Should the US Defense budget be


-increased so the defense budget is higher


-decreased so the defense budget is lower


-not changed at all


-streamlined, to be kept at the same general level but reviewed to eliminate waste and unnecessary expenditures
 
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I think we spend a lot on defense, but mostly because of the Military-Industrial Complex rightly identified by President Eisenhower.

Like people use to say, "you don't think a hammer really cost's $300.00 do you?" ;)

Research and Development costs a lot of money, much of it wasted on dead-ends. The investor's have to make it up as best they can by over-charging for their (relative) successes.

Consider as a public example, the Pharmaceutical Industry for comparison. They spend billions on researching new drugs...and now we see all this advertising for things like "restless leg syndrome" or some other lame "medical problem" so they can make profits even out of failures.

Well, the Military-Industrial Complex is no different and politicians and career generals are all in their pockets. :coffeepap:
 
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The US needs to get out of the War Business. We've killed millions without any positive results.
It's about business not to help anyone.
/
 
Jredbaron96 said:
Should the US Defense budget be


-increased so the defense budget is higher


-decreased so the defense budget is lower


-not changed at all


-streamlined, to be kept at the same general level but reviewed to eliminate waste and unnecessary expenditures
Click to expand...
Trump has already increased the military budget by $54 billion.
 
It should be decreased and military operations streamlined. Our allies need to step up to the plate and start shouldering the responsibility of a shared defense.
 
Decreased and streamlined.
 
Captain Adverse said:
I think we spend a lot on defense, but mostly because of the Military-Industrial Complex rightly identified by President Eisenhower.

Like people use to say, "you don't think a hammer really cost's $300.00 do you?" ;)

Research and Development costs a lot of money, much of it wasted on dead-ends. The investor's have to make it up as best they can by over-charging for their (relative) successes.

Consider as a public example, the Pharmaceutical Industry for comparison. They spend billions on researching new drugs...and now we see all this advertising for things like "restless leg syndrome" or some other lame "medical problem" so they can make profits even out of failures.

Well, the Military-Industrial Complex is no different and politicians and career generals are all in their pockets. :coffeepap:
Click to expand...

Some good points. there is no shortage of articles on wasteful spending by the DoD. they could probably cut their budge by 5-10% just but eliminating their 10 biggest wasteful spending projects. And as much as I don't think the remaining people locked up in Guantanamo should be locked up somewhere the operating expense of that place is just dumb.
 
The U.S. could cut defence spending in half and still have the capacity to deter attack and contribute to NORAD and NATO. The money saved could be put into universal health care where everyone is covered without paying premiums.
 
queenmandy85 said:
The U.S. could cut defence spending in half and still have the capacity to deter attack and contribute to NORAD and NATO. The money saved could be put into universal health care where everyone is covered without paying premiums.
Click to expand...

Could be hell, should have been long time ago. And this has been supported by the public for over half a century, but "the people" have no representation in our system.
 
DaveFagan said:
The US needs to get out of the War Business. We've killed millions without any positive results.
It's about business not to help anyone.
/
Click to expand...

When all you have is a hammer, you go looking for nails to hit. We wouldn't get into so many pointless wars if we didn't have a big military sitting there, begging to be used. We might actually talk to people. Imagine that.
 
Currently, 16% of our budget goes to the military. even if we cut it in half, it would still be the largest military expenditure in the world (not to mention that unlike China and Russia, we have powerful allies).
 
Captain Adverse said:
I think we spend a lot on defense, but mostly because of the Military-Industrial Complex rightly identified by President Eisenhower.

Like people use to say, "you don't think a hammer really cost's $300.00 do you?" ;)

Research and Development costs a lot of money, much of it wasted on dead-ends. The investor's have to make it up as best they can by over-charging for their (relative) successes.

Consider as a public example, the Pharmaceutical Industry for comparison. They spend billions on researching new drugs...and now we see all this advertising for things like "restless leg syndrome" or some other lame "medical problem" so they can make profits even out of failures.

Well, the Military-Industrial Complex is no different and politicians and career generals are all in their pockets. :coffeepap:
Click to expand...
Just two nights ago we were watching an episode of ALF (I know, I know) (show was in late 1980s) and they're having a garage sale. ALF gets in debt to a bookie, so he secretly marks up all the prices astronomically thinking he can cover his losses. Nobody's buying anything, but at one point a military officer walks up and asks, "Do you have any more of these $800 hammers?"

I roared with laughter... and my wife looked at me like I was crazy. She didn't think it was funny. I explained it to her, but she just shrugged.
 
Jredbaron96 said:
Should the US Defense budget be


-increased so the defense budget is higher


-decreased so the defense budget is lower


-not changed at all


-streamlined, to be kept at the same general level but reviewed to eliminate waste and unnecessary expenditures
Click to expand...

We do NOT need to increase. We should decrease, but I picked streamline because I do think we should invest in replacing some of our older equipment, with an eye toward decreasing, too, if possible.
 
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