re: #246 Dark_Falcon

Yes, we do. We have a lot of weapons systems that are needing replacement or major upgrades and we’ve got lots of enemies. Gates can try to cut some waste, but that’s all. We really do need to maintain our existing capabilities.

Never seems a little excessive that we, with 4% of the world’s territory and 4% of its people, spend over 50% of the world’s expenditures on military spending? I know Ike lived in a different era, but his words on this still seem prescient.

Either way, if that’s off the table, then the TP/GOP dream of balancing the budget their way is really a pipe dream, a joke. The answer isn’t magic (compromise on tax increases and spending cuts), but it won’t happen as the gop has essentially promised to continue refusing to cooperate.