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SHRED

(28,136 posts)
Wed Jan 29, 2014, 09:59 AM Jan 2014

It's never about spending on the war machine


When RW'ers go on and on about what we can't afford it is always about our tax dollars being used to lift people up.
That is their beef. And they cloak it in terms of those getting help as "takers".

It's NEVER about the outrageous private contractors selling our government multi-billion dollars systems we don't need or endless spying or war.

I absolutely despise this attitude and have a hard time not hating the people who promote it.

15 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
It's never about spending on the war machine (Original Post) SHRED Jan 2014 OP
Agree /nt think Jan 2014 #1
Kicked and recommended a whole bunch.....nt Enthusiast Jan 2014 #2
People wouldn't be "takers" MissMillie Jan 2014 #3
Military spending is incomprehensible. earthside Jan 2014 #4
OK... Adrahil Jan 2014 #5
That's one of the things these anti-DoD-spending threads always gloss over jeff47 Jan 2014 #7
I said RWers say "cut" SHRED Jan 2014 #8
I would be HAPPY to do it. What is your suggested strategy? Adrahil Jan 2014 #9
It won't happen until significant numbers of people protest. randome Jan 2014 #10
and refuse to work for the war machine SHRED Jan 2014 #11
Refusing to work doesn't make the job go away jeff47 Jan 2014 #15
I don't disagree... Adrahil Jan 2014 #12
Feel free to propose a bill that can get through the House. jeff47 Jan 2014 #14
If we can't afford to educate our children, to heal our sick or care for our elderly ... Scuba Jan 2014 #6
We need to cut spending PowerToThePeople Jan 2014 #13

MissMillie

(38,452 posts)
3. People wouldn't be "takers"
Wed Jan 29, 2014, 10:26 AM
Jan 2014

If they earned a living wage.

And people who earn enough to live put their money right back into the economy--which is good for businesses as well.

earthside

(6,960 posts)
4. Military spending is incomprehensible.
Wed Jan 29, 2014, 10:33 AM
Jan 2014

You can go to the web site below and have sent to your email a daily or weekly listing of all the military contracts valued at $6.5 million and over that are let each day.

The amounts are staggering ... really incomprehensible to average Americans.
The listing, however, begins to make a person realize just how huge is military spending.

The U.S. military establishment really is the greatest program for the transfer of wealth from working folks to the richest of the rich in the history of humankind.

And ... it is sacrosanct from Democrats and Republicans alike.
And ... way too many Americans go along with this because of images of wounded soldiers -- like we must spend trillions of dollars because we all must 'support the troops' and thank them for their service. The truth is that the short-time enlisted GI is a very small portion of where theses hundreds of billions of dollars go -- it is almost like they are the 'loss-leader' or the advertising cost for the MIC.

Since the majority of voters fall for this pro-military, patriotic propaganda, when the big crash comes in this country, we will deserve it and we will suffer ... and the military-indutrial elite will be just fine in their gated communities.

http://www.defense.gov/Contracts/

 

Adrahil

(13,340 posts)
5. OK...
Wed Jan 29, 2014, 10:35 AM
Jan 2014

Full disclosure, I'm a former DoD R&D engineer and current engineering services contractor. Our primary customer is the DoD.

I consider the work I do important, but I can tell you, I would be happier to be working for NASA (in fact, just yesterday, I submitted a contract proposal to NASA). I love technology. I love AEROSPACE technology. But to be honest, I would rather be using my talents to help us get to Mars. If we cut $100 Billion from the DoD budget and sent it to NASA and to grants for the NSF, I think it would be a great day.

Unfortunately, I don't think we're politically positioned to do it yet.

jeff47

(26,549 posts)
7. That's one of the things these anti-DoD-spending threads always gloss over
Wed Jan 29, 2014, 11:32 AM
Jan 2014

The DoD is the only entity in the US doing significant amounts of basic research. Every other government institution has been cut to the bone, and private companies no longer fund basic research.

Cutting DoD doesn't just mean "we save money".

 

SHRED

(28,136 posts)
8. I said RWers say "cut"
Wed Jan 29, 2014, 11:54 AM
Jan 2014

I believe we need to transfer R&D spending away from the war machine.

Its difficult to wrap my head around defending war machine spending here on the DU.

 

Adrahil

(13,340 posts)
9. I would be HAPPY to do it. What is your suggested strategy?
Wed Jan 29, 2014, 12:04 PM
Jan 2014

I'm not being snarky... I'd love to see it happen. How do we effect that transfer without looking "weak" on national defense? I love to see NASA's budget tripled. IMO, it would be a better technological investment. But politically, I think it's a VERY heavy lift. Repugs have been very successful at convincing Americans we need a massive military.

 

randome

(34,845 posts)
10. It won't happen until significant numbers of people protest.
Wed Jan 29, 2014, 12:07 PM
Jan 2014

We can complain until our keyboards are in ruins but that doesn't translate to people being out on the street and actively protesting. Until that happens, nothing much of significance will occur.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]There is nothing you can't do if you put your mind to it.
Nothing.
[/center][/font][hr]

jeff47

(26,549 posts)
15. Refusing to work doesn't make the job go away
Wed Jan 29, 2014, 03:18 PM
Jan 2014

It just means they'll find someone more desperate to employ.

 

Adrahil

(13,340 posts)
12. I don't disagree...
Wed Jan 29, 2014, 12:19 PM
Jan 2014

... I think the first step is to continue encouraging disengagement from foreign military adventures. We need a credible defensive capability, and even the capability to respond as strongly as necessary to foreign aggression. But we do NOT need to garrison the world. And I think most Americans agree.

jeff47

(26,549 posts)
14. Feel free to propose a bill that can get through the House.
Wed Jan 29, 2014, 03:16 PM
Jan 2014

In the meantime, we'll keep beating ever-more-advanced swords into plowshares.

 

Scuba

(53,475 posts)
6. If we can't afford to educate our children, to heal our sick or care for our elderly ...
Wed Jan 29, 2014, 10:50 AM
Jan 2014

... just what is it the defense budget is defending?

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