General Discussion

pasto76

(1,589 posts)

109. first of all, there is still one war going. Second lemme educate you as a soldier...

Sat Dec 22, 2012, 11:44 AM

Dec 2012

...that my beloved military is fat with waste and pork. Not talking about pay for troops, vehicles I need, equipment I need. Nor any part of the training budget.

What we havent needed in the past 12 years are two(2) stealth fighters. Or really the osprey. Or a future combat system for soldiers. Or literally thousands of contracts for "new weapons" that never get past development, let alone prototype phase. When I came home in 2004, they were 'field testing' the XM-8 rifle. Im sure to quite an expense. Never saw the light of day. An my universal camo pattern uniforms I wear right now? they suck. That shit cost $5B. replacing them will cost another $4B.

so yeah, there is __plenty__ of waste in the DOD. This soldier supports cutting all of it. And then give my troops a goddamn raise that says "thank you".

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War is 60% of our budget. That's the ONLY place cuts need to come from. [View all] grahamhgreen Dec 2012 OP

Totally agreed treestar Dec 2012 #1

If it's military "RELATED" expenses then it's even more than 60% CIA, DIA, NSA etc... uponit7771 Dec 2012 #2

Homeland Security... (3.5%) grahamhgreen Dec 2012 #3

Look at all the costs nineteen50 Dec 2012 #19

America's afraid of it's own formidable shadow. We are a nation at fear. AAO Dec 2012 #88

Thank you. woo me with science Dec 2012 #68

Some of the military budget is hidden in strange places DavidDvorkin Dec 2012 #76

+1, Used to work for DOD...money is spread out uponit7771 Dec 2012 #77

Almost any science / technology program is dual purpose, even medical research... reACTIONary Dec 2012 #98

That's what I was told when I worked there, 1967-1971 DavidDvorkin Dec 2012 #105

Thanks for the info. When LBJ said that we should seize the "high ground" of space... reACTIONary Dec 2012 #110

Media and pundits always say that Social Security/Medicare is ~40% of the budget TheProgressive Dec 2012 #4

Not true. You are the one not telling the truth. guardian Dec 2012 #23

But it is... please read the 'Highlights' TheProgressive Dec 2012 #26

Disgree. That issue does not happen for 21 years! Simple fix: grahamhgreen Dec 2012 #28

+47% (n/t) klook Dec 2012 #35

Agree!!!! Grins Jan 2013 #141

Those trust fund assets came from FICA contributions over the years (and interest). spooky3 Dec 2012 #72

And, what about the funds that have been borrowed? tecelote Dec 2012 #50

What borrowed funds are you referring to? TheProgressive Dec 2012 #56

You mean the funds that were invested jmowreader Dec 2012 #65

There are two ways to look at the budget jmowreader Dec 2012 #63

+1000 n/t a geek named Bob Dec 2012 #5

knr. bunnies Dec 2012 #6

+10,000 smirkymonkey Dec 2012 #7

Fear and greed versus the wellfare of the people. Gregorian Dec 2012 #8

Something's not right here ... Scuba Dec 2012 #9

You left out the military golf courses for all the generals Coyotl Dec 2012 #10

The golf courses can be used by any military personnel of any rank SnowCritter Dec 2012 #48

Those are general-funded, not taxpayer-funded jmowreader Dec 2012 #52

The Military-Leisure Golf Complex = officials are tee-ing off at taxpayer expense at hundreds Coyotl Dec 2012 #64

Take anything Proxmire ridiculed with a grain of salt jmowreader Dec 2012 #89

Thank you. Cannot kick and rec often or strongly enough. woo me with science Dec 2012 #11

Agree with you ONE HUNDRED percent Ian62 Dec 2012 #125

That's my 2naSalit Dec 2012 #12

Could you provide a link to the data source? TheProgressive Dec 2012 #13

You should try The Google. valerief Dec 2012 #102

+10^100 n/t RoccoR5955 Dec 2012 #14

K&R closeupready Dec 2012 #15

Exactly. ellisonz Dec 2012 #16

Hell yes! daleanime Dec 2012 #17

Mostly agree, though I think the VA department needs to be left out of that 60% Bucky Dec 2012 #18

absolutely! Ligyron Dec 2012 #44

The increase required to the VA budget due to going to war Ian62 Dec 2012 #126

Been sayin it. DeSwiss Dec 2012 #20

Great video. woo me with science Dec 2012 #25

Wow. War eats $95,000 PER SECOND! grahamhgreen Dec 2012 #42

De nada. DeSwiss Dec 2012 #54

It cost $300 million TOTAL in the period from 1967 to 1980 to eradicate small pox. leftlibdem420 Dec 2012 #80

I agree. DeSwiss Dec 2012 #83

An excellent quote and very prescient for America today Ian62 Dec 2012 #124

This is such a great statement on the purpose of war. Thank you for posting it. Overseas Dec 2012 #130

1000% Agreed. No cuts to safety not at ALL!! on point Dec 2012 #21

hey, killing a noun (terror) isn't free. JEB Dec 2012 #22

cese cese Dec 2012 #24

Chart is a picture of only the discretionary budget. korak Dec 2012 #27

Correction korak Dec 2012 #34

The pie chart in the OP represents the GENERAL FUND (programs paid for by income tax) Lydia Leftcoast Dec 2012 #119

Total military spending for 2012 is $1,219 bn - that is 35% of TOTAL government spend Ian62 Dec 2012 #127

'Total Govt spending" includes SS payments that grahamhgreen Dec 2012 #137

100% spot on. ileus Dec 2012 #29

It's not just the "elephant" in the room, it's the pig in the room, considering more is paid to mother earth Dec 2012 #30

K&r... spanone Dec 2012 #31

yep heaven05 Dec 2012 #32

I count the military, homeland security, and TSA in the same bucket. airplaneman Dec 2012 #33

Absolutely!!! Plucketeer Dec 2012 #36

And how about a link that breaks out the defense budget into war related items mostlyconfused Dec 2012 #37

Largest single source of corporate welfare as well. K&R n/t Egalitarian Thug Dec 2012 #38

Great charts! ReRe Dec 2012 #39

War is 60% of our budget. That's the ONLY place cuts need to come from Denise21 Dec 2012 #40

Absolutely! It looks by your graph that our best years were during low defense spending. The Wielding Truth Dec 2012 #41

That is a very interesting observation, grahamhgreen Dec 2012 #69

Too many profiteering warmongers npk Dec 2012 #43

You make an excellent point humbled_opinion Dec 2012 #45

The military budget ought to be sliced down to 15% Panasonic Dec 2012 #46

Kicked and recommended. Uncle Joe Dec 2012 #47

Damn Right !! Maineman Dec 2012 #49

Until we rid ourselves of our current plutocracy, Rex Dec 2012 #51

Hear! Hear! Raster Dec 2012 #53

''Money trumps peace.'' -- George Walker Bush, Feb. 14, 2007 Octafish Dec 2012 #55

I would post these on Facebook but... Tanta Dec 2012 #57

Someone tell the president n/t whatchamacallit Dec 2012 #58

What exactly is operations and maintenance? Is this the money spent on Cleita Dec 2012 #59

Operations as in "Operation Iraqi Liberation" (OIL) aka War on Terra grahamhgreen Dec 2012 #60

The Pentagon can't even provide accurate accounting for the funds it receives. think Dec 2012 #61

"The bloated Pentagon budget has increased a staggering 95 percent dating back to 2000." grahamhgreen Dec 2012 #71

Bingo Auggie Dec 2012 #106

K&R nt ProudProgressiveNow Dec 2012 #62

Part of the same culture of fear that brings us the "gun culture" Scootaloo Dec 2012 #66

Agree libodem Dec 2012 #67

We borrow 800-million a week from China to continue the war in Afghanistan rustydog Dec 2012 #70

100th REC! JaneyVee Dec 2012 #73

Absolutely! (nt) ehrenfeucht games Dec 2012 #74

and about half of the world's total lilitary spending pokerfan Dec 2012 #75

The fact that we don't talk about cutting military spending demonstrates the need for Dustlawyer Dec 2012 #117

Hell, Rmoney wanted to increase the military by $2T pokerfan Dec 2012 #121

Yeah, Rmoney was a corp whore too! Let's see who Obama pays back. Dustlawyer Dec 2012 #136

The wars have not ended. Have you seen the budget for Afghanistan? dkf Dec 2012 #78

I suppose a Republican would include Social Security benefits even though they don't come from the JDPriestly Dec 2012 #79

God damn soooooo right. Too far right. xtraxritical Dec 2012 #81

DURec! bvar22 Dec 2012 #82

That's a good way to put it Canuckistanian Dec 2012 #84

I completely agree adieu Dec 2012 #85

Can't help but agree. Shrike47 Dec 2012 #86

How much is the total discretionary budget? andym Dec 2012 #87

A truly excellent article - spread it FAR AND WIDE Ian62 Dec 2012 #90

+++ Sancho Dec 2012 #91

Agreed. Phentex Dec 2012 #92

It's long past time to dismantle the empire FlyByNight Dec 2012 #93

yes cut the military till it stays in America! Civilization2 Dec 2012 #94

And.....? Iggy Dec 2012 #95

So true! another_liberal Dec 2012 #96

I wonder how much of that Operations and Maintenance goes to the oil industry. valerief Dec 2012 #97

Great! as long as _none_ of the cuts come from veterans benefits. Agony Dec 2012 #99

It would not be dfficult sulphurdunn Dec 2012 #100

Yes, it would be easy to save large amounts in operations & procurement Ian62 Dec 2012 #131

All this stuff sulphurdunn Dec 2012 #135

Absolutely! nt ladjf Dec 2012 #101

Absolutely agree! Owl Dec 2012 #103

This is why no deal is best. ProSense Dec 2012 #104

No it doesn't Ian62 Dec 2012 #132

Hi, do you have a link for the diagrams please? Rosa Luxemburg Dec 2012 #107

This 4 minute YouTube video should be required viewing for all Americans. CrispyQ Dec 2012 #108

Thank you november3rd Dec 2012 #111

first of all, there is still one war going. Second lemme educate you as a soldier... pasto76 Dec 2012 #109

+1. CrispyQ Dec 2012 #116

K&R nt. abelenkpe Dec 2012 #112

I don't see debt retirement, interest on debt. Rolled in with military? Festivito Dec 2012 #113

Good points /nt think Dec 2012 #114

There's also 38 billion in increased Social Security costs from vetrans who can't grahamhgreen Dec 2012 #122

And, that would raise that 60%, AND, we the NON-rich have to pay for it. Festivito Dec 2012 #123

As a federal worker I have been stating the same fact for YEARS,, benld74 Dec 2012 #115

another rec and kick. n/t BlancheSplanchnik Dec 2012 #118

I can't help thinking of the contrast between Britain and Norway Lydia Leftcoast Dec 2012 #120

A very good point Ian62 Dec 2012 #133

At the very least, bill Big Oil for the US military's "muscle" to get their product to market. Old and In the Way Dec 2012 #128

Sickening. Arugula Latte Dec 2012 #129

+ trillions...K&R! n/t AntiFascist Dec 2012 #134

Amen again. Cannot kick this enough times. nt woo me with science Dec 2012 #138

Keeping it up top. nt woo me with science Dec 2012 #139

kick No Compromise Dec 2012 #140