Quote:
Originally Posted by Torvald Von Mansee
And yet...you conservatives never seem to mention the 600 pound hog feeding at the public trough: the military-industrial-congressional complex (I prefer the original term Eisenhower was going to use).
We need to spend twice as much on the military as something like the next largest 30 countries...why?
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If we didn't, the free world would have to invent a replacement for us, that's why.
The US occupies a unique geopolitical position in the world. It;s not just the size of the economy, but our physical location away from other major powers (Europe and Asia), and having access to both oceans (and a Navy to control both of them).
Regardless, the military is not the bulk of spending. It's maybe 50% of the discretionary budget, but the discretionary budget is only 1/3 of the US budget—2/3 is social programs (entitlements). That doesn't count debt service, either.
Any meaningful spending cuts MUST come from entitlements.
How about medicare/medicaid stop covering any non-palliative care for terminal disease? Yep, "death panels." If you want to pay for stuff like that, have private insurance. People on charity care should be SOL—that care is ineffective anyway, and the outcome—death—is certain anyway.