According to Rep Flake's logic, we should strike all funding for the Military...

[brooklynite]

...after all it's never "made a profit"...

[mike_c]

1. works for me....

The Pentagon and MIC are this country's biggest parasites.

[hughee99]

2. The military makes all sorts of profits...

for some people, just not for our government.

[Jack Sprat]

3. If the Repubs want further tax reductions

then Defense Spending is where to get them. With a huge nuclear deterrant, we continually require Air Force/Navy delivery systems/R&D/missile maintenance/sub fleet/carrier fleet/air squadrons/supply/support.

What we don't require is a Marine Corps. No offense to ex-Marines intended, but the Army can attack beaches just as well. I don't even see the need for a large Army force on active duty. A well trained National Guard should suffice for peace time. Of course, you have to actually accept being peaceful as a national intent rather than intending to invade other nations to assert our will on them.

Repubs have long found that using tax cuts as political strategy works well among the populace. Democrats should engage them in truthful debate over this subject. In 2000, I believe the USA ranked 14th among industrial nations per individual tax responsibility. That, in spite of having a Defense budget that dwarfs all other nations by comparison. The MIC has lowered the standard of life for all Americans. The question needs to be: Who does our Congress represent, the MIC or the people?