Defense Budget That Breaks Spending Agreement Passed By House

[Galraedia]

Source: Huffington Post

WASHINGTON -- The House passed a defense budget Friday that exceeds the deal cut by Congress and President Barack Obama last summer, and that would have to be paid for with cash taken from poverty programs, health care and the federal workforce.

The National Defense Authorization Act permits $642 billion in defense spending next year. The White House has threatened to veto the bill, which passed 299 to 120, citing more than 30 changes to the budget the administration was seeking.

But the measure also adds $8 billion more than called for in the Budget Control Act that Congress agreed to last summer in exchange for raising the nation's debt limit.

"We increase the spending for defense due to the priorities that we feel are most important and the constitutional requirement we have to provide for the common defense," Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) said. "But we will cut in other areas of the budget so that we comply fully with the deficit reduction act."

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/18/defense-budget-passed_n_1527752.html?ref=politics

[DJ13]

1. "But we will cut in other areas of the budget"

"Like food and healthcare for the poor."

[Autumn]

2. Obama will veto this bill

if it makes it through the Senate, at least I hope he will. This bill should not be signed.

[totodeinhere]

11. I don't know about the Senate, but the House passed this bill with a veto proof margin.

Of course the White House could attempt to lobby to change some votes if it comes down to a veto showdown.

[may3rd]

16. He can't veto the bill that prevents vets from losing their homes to foreclose

House passes foreclosure protections for vets
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014124335


Anyway, the potus branch will be given special powers on detention of terrorists when the bill is passed.

Liberties are being traded for security....

[Autumn]

17. All the more reason it should not be passed,

Liberties should not be trading materials. This is not the first financial crisis where vets lose their homes to foreclose.

[BlueJazz]

3. Gee..I can understand their thought processes.

We only spend more on defense than the next 5 or 6 counties combined.

[magical thyme]

4. it better not get through the senate

do these people have no shame? (d'oh. of course not. never mind.)

[RKP5637]

5. If we weren't such a bellicose nation the defense budget

could be cut significantly.

[HereSince1628]

6. The welfare of millions in the hands of Blue Dogs (some campaigning) and a campaigning president.

A deal is never a deal with the republicans they are always whittling away for what they want.

A Blue dog has a red heart in a campaign year, and in the words of Rahm Emmanuel, winning the Presidency is more important than anything.


I can smell the ozone. There's a fucking shit storm headed in.

[madrchsod]

7. break the deal ---face the wheel

[BattyDem]

8. So let me get this straight ...

Last summer, they held the budget hostage in order to get what they wanted. After the deal (which included the so-called Super Committee) was agreed upon, John Boehner said, "I got 98% of what I wanted."

Now, not only are they trying to undo the deal from last year because they don't like what happened with the Super Committee, they are threatening to hold this year's budget hostage! How could anyone - or more importantly, WHY would anyone - negotiate any kind of a deal with the GOP when it's obvious they won't uphold their end of the bargain anyway?

[HereSince1628]

9. Why? Doesn't the constititution require spending bills to start in the House?

[BattyDem]

13. I meant why would anyone even bother to attempt an honest negotiation with them?

This isn't just a spending bill ... this is a bill to undo the agreement they made last year. I'm sure (at least I sincerely hope) this bill will get a veto if it ever makes it to the President's desk. Then the whole mess starts all over again and they're threatening to hold the budget hostage again this year. I hope the POTUS and the Dems won't fall into the same trap they did last year and give in to their demands for the "good of the country" because I'm sure the demands will change once again AFTER the agreement has been made.

And that is why I asked "Why?" Why do the Dems constantly allow themselves to be manipulated into giving away far too much when nothing is ever enough for the GOP? Last year, the Dems said, "It will be fine. The GOP will fall in line because they don't want the Super Committee cuts to happen!" Well guess what? They didn't fall in line and not only are they trying to prevent the Super Committee cuts from ever happening, they're trying to get the other 2% that they didn't get last year, plus another 100% on top of that! If this things somehow gets through with a veto-proof majority in the Senate, we are completely screwed!

[AnotherMcIntosh]

10. "Defense," like "pat-downs," means the exact opposite of reality. We've got war and feel-ups.

[eyewall]

12. Clinton's defense budget was half

what the budget is now.

Quality of life is more important than quality of war.

[Amster Dan]

14. Isn't this what the Second Amendment is for?

Seriously: These Repukes have violated an agreement with our President. In other words, part of our government (the House) is engaged in treason.

"The Tree of Liberty......."

[unhappycamper]

15. It's been a mud fight over the additional 5% sequestration 'loss' at DoD

Buck's crew has been doing some interesting stuff.

They added new M1A1 Abrams tanks back into the 2013 budget which the Army did not want.

The Navy had planned on retiring four Ticonderoga-class cruisers to help pay for Navy's shipbuilding frenzy. Buck said 'No'. Under Buck's plan the war-party is going to refurbish them, which leaves the Navy to scramble for bucks to build more ships.

To make the original $50 billion dollar a year cut (prior to sequestration) the Air Force wanted to change basing of various air wings. The Govs (mostly R-naturally) pushed back. The Air Force is scrambling to find bucks to pay for their their ever continuing dip into the F-35 craziness.

LCS-1 (USS Freedom) is back in the shop for hull cracks. At $584 million dollars, you would think these assholes could build a ship that actually works.

A new National Security Cutter ($536 million, at least) was delivered with holes in the hull. Come on, Navy ships aren't supposed to be delivered with holes in the fucking hull.

The generals starting complaining about a 'hollowed force' last week to complain about sequestration. The funny thing is that sequestration will force them to cut their annual budget by 10%, rather than the 5% ordered under Obama. (I wish I had lost only 10% of my income during the last financial meltdown.)

The F-35 ($243 million each, at least) program is starting to get into deep waters. Keep in mind the guys building this pig are the same guys that built the F-22 ($418 million). That's the same F-22 that is causing pilots and air crews to get sick and experience hypoxia. Oh, and all F-22s were grounded for five months after a pilot in Alaska blackedout and drove that bad boy into the ground.

Buck's crew and the Republicans plan on restoring sequestration cuts by taking money away from other social programs such a food stamps, Meals on Wheels, etc., etc., etc.

I wish I could lay all this on the Republicans but Dems are also joining forces to stop sequestration.

All this is because the DoD does not want to lose five more fucking percent of their budget.