re: #7 Sheeplord

The Jets aren’t actually part of the constitutionally defined spending, no.

“Provide for the national defense” vs “promote the general welfare.”

One is a word indicating mandatory requirements, the other, not as much.

So…if you want to debate what is and isn’t worth paying for in the military budget, I guess nothing is specified, so nothing can be purchased?

Does that go for EPA, DoE, DoS, FEMA, HHS, DoT, DHS? I guess, by that extension, nothing is buyable.

How about “as determined by the Secretary” or similar language for all offices within the Executive Branch, in laws that then define, for any given point in time, the specifics of the spending, at least for major (and some time very detailed) spending approvals?

It is how it works and by the way, Congress is responsible to approve all top level purchasing programs, such as building specific aircraft, the SecDef isn’t the final stamp of approval.

By your logic, where would PBS funding fall?