America can be a superpower or a welfare state, but not both.

[Aramike]

Originally Posted by gimpy117

so its better to have the power to kill anybody we want at the drop of a hat...but not be able to help our own people. The world has changed, it's not the cold war. it's time we realized that

Did it ever occur to you that having the ability to "kill anybody we want at the drop of a hat" creates the ABILITY to help our own people ... all the while preserving our Constitutional freedoms?

Your naivete is astounding. Being a superpower with the ability to project our will and way of life is what gives us the ability to do ... well ... anything.

You believe that the world has changed from the Cold War era. Duh. But Gates is not talking about an arms race - he's referring to maintaining force levels.

The fact of the matter is that we've become a lazy nation. Too many people expect the government to do things for them that they could do themselves. Resistance to Paul Ryan's healthcare proposals is demonstrative of this. Medicare? Takes care of everything - you just fill out the forms (but really you don't, because most providers have staff to do that for you, and indirectly Medicare pays for that as well). Vouchers? Well now - you must do your own research, make your own decisions, etc.

We'll take Medicare, right?

At the end of the day I wonder if we should all merely surrender any freedoms we have left because we are so intent upon doing so anyway. Part of freedom is failure and suffering the consequences thereof. However, preserving the ability to openly engage in this very debate protected by the US Constitution seems worthy of any cost. So if that means we have to balance the budget on the backs of those least WILLING to engage in any semblance of self-sufficiency, so be it.