How can there possibly be any talk of cutting costs without talk of ending the wars?

[ThomWV]

Ferchrist's sake, any idiot can see that war is awfully expensive and in our case is made up entirely of discretionary spending. How on the face of god's green earth can there possibly be any talk of cutting Government expenditures that ignores our wars?

War should be the very first thing put on the table during negotiations. War is pure waste, fraud, and abuse. Troops can be brought back home as fast as they can be loaded on airplanes if anyone actually cares to do it and there is not one country in the world we could not de-occupy tomorrow to our own betterment.

[ixion]

1. Exactly

it is, by far, the most costly item "on the table", but it isn't on the table. That's the problem.

It's time to end our Endless Wars.

[Autumn]

2. That's why I think it's a manufactured crisis.

If ANY single one of them, from Obama on down, were worried about it, their wars would be brought up.

[WiffenPoof]

3. Well...You are exactly right.

You know, I'm getting to the end of my faith in politicians and our government as a whole. Our priorities are so fucked up that I doubt we will get them straightened out before I kick the bucket. I'm beginning to think that there is no hope for America.

-P

[MichiganVote]

4. Cuz' we are built on a war economy and have been since the 60's

[Booster]

6. Bingo. Just think what the unemployment numbers would be

if ALL the troops came home and decided to get out of the service.

[demosincebirth]

5. Do you think someone ought to interject that into the negotiations now?

[ThomWV]

7. Sure, why not? They've booby-trapped the negotiations every third day anyway

Every three days or so one side or the other has changed its negotiation strategy or what they will or will not put on the table. The amount has yo-yo'ed by the trillions of dollars and on some days "everything" is on the table and the next nothing but a "clean bill" will do.

So sure, why not toss in the cost of the wars now?

[demosincebirth]

10. I was being facetious.

[patrice]

8. AAAAANNNNDDD - It's not exactly like they're going to be un-employed. nt

[StarburstClock]

9. DOD uses 80% of the fuel used by the U.S. too

The U.S. is a warring and criminal country propped up by corrupt banks, for profit health care and an easily propagandized public full of gullibles. Real information is irrelevant here in "The Homeland".

[ThomWV]

11. and we import 60% of our fuel - quick, someone do the math ...

I think it means we would still have to import 2% of our fuel, but I'm not good at math, particularly mental math.

[kenny blankenship]

12. Welfare for Warfare. Send the young to the front, boil the old down for phosporous and grease.

The War Machine believes in a society in which everyone is useful in some way.

[Romulox]

13. Obama has INCREASED military spending, and started an additional war since taking office

What makes you think that Obama desires an end to his various wars? Occam's Razor strongly suggests he does not. :shrug:

[slay]

14. +1

Obama has been a monumental let down.

[IcyPeas]

15. Let your voice be heard at the White House - here:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact

[Cleita]

17. Nobody at the WH is listening.

It's a futile attempt. I don't know how many ways I have let the President know that if he messes with Social Security and Medicare, it's a deal breaker and I will not support him in 2012. I know mine is not a lone voice in this and yet, last week he puts the programs on the table and calling them "entitlements" (they are actually part of the Federal Insurance Contribution Act or FICA) just like the Repugs do, so he's either being isolated from getting the messages or just doesn't care.

[IcyPeas]

18. I tend to agree with you but I guess I still have "hope"

[Cleita]

16. Every time I listen to some rabid RWinger going on

about cutting spending and Medicare breaking the bank, I wonder, what about cutting military spending in half? No one, no one wants to go there.