Ten percent,

[MadHound]

Yesterday President Obama's budget proposal came out, and while it cuts aid for LIHEAP and Pell Grants, it increases spending for the military, again.

In fact the military has been a sacred cow for a long, long time. Presidents from both parties have increased military spending each and every year, excepting for a short period after Clinton came to power (he actually reduced military spending by a couple of percentage points for a couple of years, and got castigated for it)

In presenting his budget proposal, Obama stated the goal was to cut 1.1 trillion dollars from the deficit over the next ten years, or 110 billion per year.

Since the military has been the recipient of governmental largesse for over half a century, I have a radical proposal, make the military pay.

That's right, take that $110 billion dollars out of defense spending, each and every year. Given that the military's total budget is now running around 1.5 trillion/year, I think they can afford it(I emphasize total military spending because the amount of money allocated for the Defense Department is not the be all and end all of military spending. In fact the bulk of military spending is disguised, hidden, allocated to various other departments. For instance our nuclear fleet, a military force, falls under the departmental purview of the Atomic Energy Commission. Thus, even though the AEC is engaged in military spending, the money allocated to the AEC for nuclear fleet maintenance and upkeep isn't officially designated as military spending since it is going to a civilian organization, the AEC).

That's right, 1.5 trillion dollars a year, over half the entire budget. This situation hasn't changed for decades, don't you think it's about time it did? We could cut ten percent from the annual military budget, and easily meet Obama's goal without having to touch domestic and social welfare programs. Millions would still have heat next winter, low income students would still be able to attend college, we could still keep the tattered remains of our social safety net intact, all for the price of taking ten percent from the military.

I believe that this is fair, after all, this and past administrations haven't hesitated to cut budgets of programs such as LIHEAP in half, or worse, eliminate them altogether. The military has been a sacred cow for far too long. It's about time that it started tightening its belt, just like the rest of us have already done.

Ten percent yearly cuts, that's all I'm asking. Sadly, as always, apparently that's asking too much.

[MrMickeysMom]

1. If you mentioned this to local pro-military (full employment)

they'd probably call you a commie socialist.

This is the absolute worst form of socialism.... full employment through the military industry.... fake wars off the budget a la Bush and Company, and all the great things we learned through the color coded infestation of Homeland Security.

Enough!

[MadHound]

2. Maybe, maybe not

There is a quiet surge afoot, in both liberal and conservative circles, to cut military spending. Teabaggers such as the Pauls and others actually want to cut the military budget in fairly meaningful ways.

[MrMickeysMom]

3. May this majority swell, then...

... with our furthered understanding for that common goal!

[MadHound]

4. Let's hope,

Sadly, far too many people on both sides of the aisle have too much invested in the MIC.