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Denis Poroy / Reuters
Mitt Romney, center, war veteran Nick Popaditch, left, and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., applaud during a Memorial Day event at the Veterans Museum & Memorial Center in San Diego on Monday.
SAN DIEGO-- Mitt Romney took advantage of one of his largest crowds of the campaign season on Memorial Day to warn of the dangers of a shrinking U.S. military in a dangerous world.
Echoing portions of his stump speech in which he cites the threat of a resurgent Russia, a nuclear Iran and a rising China as obstacles to an "American Century," Romney closed his speech at this Memorial Day tribute to veterans with a political message about a choice between divergent military philosophies this November.
"We have two courses we can follow: One is to follow the pathway of Europe. To shrink our military smaller and smaller to pay for our social needs. And they of course rely on the strength of America and they hope for the best. Were we to follow that kind of course, there would be no one that could stand to protect us," Romney told an audience his campaign said numbered roughly 5000 people.
"The other is to commit to preserve America as the strongest military in the world, second to none, with no comparable power anywhere in the world. We choose that course. We choose that course for America not just so that we can win wars, but so we can prevent wars."
President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney both marked Memorial Day with speeches and politics wasn't far below the surface. NBC's Kristen Welker reports.
Regular rally trappings like pro-Romney signage were absent at this event, which took on a more solemn character than a traditional campaign stop. Romney did not mention or attack the President in his remarks today, which were instead focused on saluting military veterans and their families, including his predecessor in the role of Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, who joined him on stage Monday.
"We're a nation that has been formed and preserved by heroes," Romney said. "John McCain is one of them."
Obama honors fallen troops on Memorial Day
McCain, for his part, also praised Romney, calling him "fully qualified to be commander in chief."
The two men and their pro-military message were warmly received here under the blazing midday sunlight. San Diego is home to the US Navy's Pacific Fleet, and Naval Base San Diego is the largest such military community on the West Coast.
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I see the fear machine is still churning full speed ahead!
Even on a day like today where we should be remembering those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, Willard cannot help himself from politicizing!
How pathetic!
BWAHAHAHAHA!
I know of only one president to have stood up against the military machine. JFK
Need I say more.
A vote for Willard is a vote to return to the good old days of NO BID military contacts... ala the "Dick" & his cohorts!
Do we want to go back to electrocuting our service members in the showers, compliments of Halliburton?
I thinking Cheney is going to decide that it is he who is best qualified as running mate for Romney.
Does this mean that 2 or 3 of Romney's sons will be joining the American military? I'll drive them to the recruiting center.
Space Captain #1.1
"stand up against military machine...JFK"...
as a liberal myself - I encourage you to read up about JFK...he did not stand up against the military...period!
Can anyone explain why we need 7 Carrier Fleets to defend our 2 coasts? We need to cut back on the man-power. We have over 90,000 troops in Afghanistan, yet it took only 2 dozen Seals to get OBL. We definitely need to reduce our military.
Bluelake...
Not one of Romney's blood relatives have ever served a day in military service to our Country...NOT ONE!
Bluelake, not only has none of his sons served, I would bet that very very few Mormons in general serve. I think Romney said it best when asked about his sons serving their country and his answer was something to the effect that they are serving their country by helping him get elected. I wish I had that choice over 40 years ago when I got caught in the draft. Nice deal if you can swing it.
Boy that Mitt is a hoot ain't he. Talks about cutting spending, yet wants to continue to over fund the biggest waste of our tax dollars, by far. And HE STILL WANTS TO KEEP THE BUSH TAX CUTS! This man can only be allowed in the White House as a tourist.
JDills
Because we really need 12 so those aboard the fleet aren't deployed for 18 months at a time and at sea for 4 months straight. It's called forward deployed. Unless of course you want the West coast to look like Pearl Harbor some day soon.
Already happening. Why do you think current troops are seeing 4 tours of combat duty instead of the 2 or 3 from the past.
It is because we had 90,000 troops deployed that we could send 3 helicopters in to take OBL out. Remember the failed rescue mission in Iran or are you too wet behind the ears?
Less than 2% of our population is in uniform, active, reserve or guard. http://www.globalfirepower.com/country-military-strength-detail.asp?country_id=United-States-of-America
Less than 2% of our population is in uniform, active, reserve or guard.
That is still over 6 million people. And that doesn't count all of the defense contractors.
Excuse me, six million is a typo! I meant 3 million.
trust - thanks, of the 10 responders to this post you are only one that has a clue. These folks are so damn - ignorant? stupid? naive? selfish? brainless? spoiled?
They have never served, haven't got a clue about the real world, but have a big mouth (keyboard) and continue to use it.
They are quick to criticize but have done nothing themselves, we sure need more of these people.
As they say about liberal art folks that have a degree; as they serve you at the counter they ask if you "want fries with that" as they wait for the cash register to figure out the change.
53 cents of every tax dollar is spent on defense spending, we have enough guns and are about fresh out of butter.
Bill from Oregon - (I'm in St. Helens) If our defense demands three or four rotations and due to our lack of manpower determines that our military personnel have no option but to take those tours, isn't it time to (a) curtail our international military adventures, and/or (b) re institute the draft.
America in 1914: Totally unprepared to fight in Europe as 80% of the US Army was on the US Mexico border fighting Mexicans.
America in 1941: Totally unprepared to fight in Europe or the Pacific as the US had an army that was only the 17th largest in the world.
America in 1950: Totally unprepared to fight North Korea as troops in the Pacific were not combat ready as most experienced soldiers left the military and returned to civilian living in the US after WW2.
America in 1965: After learning many lessons, military was better prepared for Vietnam however, was in process of major change in small arms. M-14 to the untested M-16 got many GIs killed.
Lessons Learned for United States: We are the world's policeman. Like it or not!
Must have large armed forces. US Army to fight in Mexico a real possibility.
The US Military budget is bigger than next 10 military budgets (including Russia, India, China) combined. But it has similar personnel ratio. What it tells you is that US military spends on a hell of a lot of equipment and services rather than its servicemen. Because of privatization a lot of this spend is spent with corporations who are of course not quite happy to reduce that spend. Just to give an example - JSF i.e. Joint Strike Fighter program will eventually cost $618million per plane where comparable planes will cost $50million perhaps.
Willard knows how to cut jobs - but he doesn't know how to cut defense contractor spend does he?
bdune,
I guess that's gonna depend on what we're reading, huh? Rather than get in a show me yours and I'll show you mine game (links, etc), I would just mention the Bay of Pigs and let that speak for itself. Period, no.
There is no doubt that the military must be strong and vibrant. However, such a call coming from draft-dodging Romney does not set well in this house. Memorial Day has serious meaning. Both fathers served in WWII, uncles in Korea - one dead. It goes on, and listening to such drivel from a fatuous, lying, chicken hawk turns my stomach.
As a tired, sick old grouch. All I have to say is I hate when vets/military are used for political hay (and that goes for both sides) When the pols decide to suit up and get in the game, and shed their own blood, instead of our youth, then talk - but for now, pols of both parties, stfu
The 5%'s that spew on MSNBC will see in November how wrong they are. I hope they can live with it. This country needs to remain a super power and at the same time reduce wasting money on our own super dependents. Time to get off the couch and work for the betterment of America.
Mine either!
Peddling around France while 58,000+ died in Viet Nam just don't cut it with me!
Wrapping ones-self in a flag for political gain is beyond reprehensible!
Unless they have some skin in the game, they need to sit down & STFU!
Enough of the chicken hawks screaming foul...
I didn't say a word about the number of folks that are serving inthe military. I wish there were more so all could understand.
To answer your questions as they are:
a) That is up to the country as whole, not up to any individual.
b) I think the draft should of never been stopped.
What is your personal knowledge of military service, not just your opinion of what it should be, but what have you done? I did serve and would do it again.
Is the world perfect, no. But to only complain and do nothing else other than yak does not help. Do something, get off the keyboard and actually do it, don't just talk about it.
You know ... I read something this morning where Romney PROMISED that his appearance was NOT campaign related and that it was just to honor those service members who made the ultimate sacrifice. I guess he LIED - again.
Sorry but I hear the total is more like 1.5 million in the armed forces.
Here's a laugh. On the WHITE HOUSE website, there is a booklet about Hispanics. They are credited with being .....11% of the armed forces...that is 1.33 million hispanics.
I'm not kidding. How can the WHITE HOUSE make that kind of mistake.
Reading
The six million was a typo. 1.5 million are active and around 1.5 are in the reserves. I even corrected my mistake and you still quote the wrong one? Wowie. You must be taking notes from the politicians on how to quote someone.
One more thing, it is now apparent we shouldn't be surprised Ted Nugent endorsed Willard?
From one draft dodger to another...
Are you sure? I hope you didn't get your info from El Casa Blanca (White House)
Stupidity rules all it seems.
"The other is to commit to preserve America as the strongest military in the world, second to none, with no comparable power anywhere in the world.
If we cut the military in half, this would still be true. We simply do not need anywhere close to what we have to defend this country.
Romney was a draft dodger who fled to France for three years to avoid serving in the military during the Vietnam War. It is truly appalling that he is now being permitted to speak at any Vietnam Veteran's event. Romney simply has no credibility to speak on military affairs, particularly when he lived it up in a French mansion as a Mormon Cult missionary to avoid the draft while so many brave American soldiers were dying on the battlefield of Vietnam.
@Cat
I was thinking the very same thing myself. What he did was not appropriate. Not a real surprise. Also not a real surprise, sabre rattling from a chicken hawk. This guy has some stones, I'll give him that. My Golden Retriever is more of a patriot then this guy.
Vote for him at all of our peril. Mitt Romney, ready, fire, aim.
Like it or not, Obama has monumentally failed. I would rather have Dan Quayle sitting in the Oval than another Obama term!
The military can be leaner but meaner, the lean and mean Romney the Idiot doesn't understand this.
The bottom line is we can no longer afford to Police the World, We just can't.
I would love to see very low taxes for everyone but that means cutting almost everything, including the Military.
The days of Occupying Countries when we are borrowing Money to fund it should be over, PERIOD!
BTW House Republicans and some Democrats show their appreciation everyday by hanging Vets out the dry, google Vet suicide rate, it will disgust you.
@Kumar
And you know this how? Come on, tell us. Try to make it the truth if you can. Verifiable FACTS, not what Fox news, Limbaugh, Hannity or any of the other hacks say.
Space Captain # 1.18
that's what you got "the Bay of Pigs"? a complete and utter failure from the word go....that's it?
a failed CIA operation and you call that "standing up to the military"?
good grief - you need more of a history lesson then I thought!
Forrest Grump 2.0
Try again there mr 2.0. 53%-58% of discretionary spending. Actually closer to 21% of TOTAL budget. Right next to Social Security 21% and Medicaid/medicare 21% http://radyananda.wordpress.com/2010/04/21/us-spending-priorities/
Oh and haven't you heard "butter is baaaad"
@Reading I even posted the link... get with it already
http://www.globalfirepower.com/country-military-strength-detail.asp?country_id=United-States-of-America
It's time to send as many battle-tested soldiers back home. Combat-readiness is a strength after years of war, but our soldiers deserve a break.
A leaner military can save money for R&D, helping reinventing the US military and maintaining the high-tech edge - the most important in future warfare.
Satanick
China's goal is to be both the number 1 military power and the number 1 economic power.
China's goal is to have up to a 100 million man army. Technology will only overcome so much of that.
Meanwhile they purchased an old Russian Aircraft Carrier. Gee, I wonder what they will do with it?
Then Mr. Romney can take his kids and send them over to Afghanistan, or better yet- Syria or IRAN, if he feels that strongly about it. Leave my son alone.
Pigotry
1. who do you propose we rotate to take their place? Especially since you are "leaning" the force. The fact that we are "lean" is why our troops are doing multiple combat tours.
2. What do you propose we do with ALL of the military you plan on "leaning"? There are NOT a lot of civilian jobs that call for armed response and unemployment is still rather HIGH. On top of that civilian employers are "gun shy" about hiring just detached military persons.
We need to grow the military!!!! Of course, I hope you don't mind the crapy roads and collapsing bridges, since we can't fund infrastructure, and no more public schools since we can't fund them, so if you can't afford private schools oh well your kids remain stupid, oh and no more clean water or mercury free toys for the kids since we disolved the EPA. But you won't mind us raising your taxes for more military, right?
DB Akron....."Meanwhile they purchased an old Russian Aircraft Carrier. Gee, I wonder what they will do with it?"
Or the Carrier keel busting torpedo.
Time to start sending men/women into the military in accordance with Korean military requirement standards.
Nah, the Lefties would be furious, and Flyeisty and the Redhead are tooooo OLD.
Does the Twitt think we won the these two current wars? He's far worse than I thought. I'll bet all his children when of age will not serve in the military, just as Twitt himself did not. Twitt was too valuable and too rich!?!?!! His philosophy is to throw the entitled poor out to be slaughtered, and to protect his deep pockets. Anyone running for a public office should be required to spend at least 4 years on active duty service status, and not in the Reserves helping a candidate campaign for an office as Bush did.
The perils of a shrinking military...
Gee, would one of those perils include taking 10 years to subdue 2 countries smaller than some states in the US? Face it, no president ever threw as much money at the military as George W. Bush. And no president ever commanded it as poorly either.
We don't need more military. We need presidents that make better use of the military we have. And that ain't Romney!
^^
Beautiful post, Engineer.
Frame that one, folks!
Who is Mittens to be discussing military preparedness and spending? He dodged the Vietnam draft by being a missionary for the Mormons in France. What a real hero while me and my friends did not have a choice of doing missionary work. We did the dirty work that Senators sons and millionaires sons did not have to do. Enough of this creep. He was a chicken then and I suspect he is one now. A zebra cannot change its stripes no matter how hard he tries. Go back to Utah with your ilk and made believe religion that every state in the Union ran you out of until you found the Utah territory where you had the audacity to blame others for your atrocities against a wagon train of settlers. Big, bad Mormons aren't they? Hid behind the skirts of their women folk and put the blame on the indigenous people of Utah.
Who is Mittens to be discussing military preparedness and spending? He dodged the Vietnam draft by being a missionary for the Mormons in France. What a real hero while me and my friends did not have a choice of doing missionary work. We did the dirty work that Senators sons and millionaires sons did not have to do. Enough of this creep. He was a chicken then and I suspect he is one now. A zebra cannot change its stripes no matter how hard he tries. Go back to Utah with your ilk and made believe religion that every state in the Union ran you out of until you found the Utah territory where you had the audacity to blame others for your atrocities against a wagon train of settlers. Big, bad Mormons aren't they? Hid behind the skirts of their women folk and put the blame on the indigenous people of Utah.
Actually///our real problem with military spending is that there is NO oversite at all by our elected..who set up all oversite committees..and have really done nothing but ok whatever contractor hands out the most money..How else can you explain the cost for even normal items like hammers...or ever rifles..would love to see just what is handed out in all contracts to military contractors...I feel we all would be surprised at the charges placed on tax payers...on items way over priced...because of lobbying by those same contractors.
1.39 and others, What part about China already being far ahead of us economically - and now militarily (if they choose to) --don't you get. We were able to outspend Russia for military superiority a number of years ago, but this will not be the case with China. They own the bulk of our national debt already. Besides military strength is non issue- when each of the big 3 (China, Russia, and US) individually already have enough nukes to guarantee that there will be NO winner in the next real war. The continued deterrent effect of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) will always represent our bottom line military strength in terms of a real war. Any other approach is so much pee in the wind at this point.
Romney commenting on the military in any way is a very sick joke, his qualifications for the job Commander in Chief are non existent. Why does anybody even listen to this guy? To hear him say it; He killed Bin Laden, he saved GM and he understands the average American because he saw how his servants lived during his privileged upbringing. Anybody that votes for this clown is an idiot.
We may have a minimum of 11 active Aircraft Carriers (congressionally mandated). That equals the number of active Aircraft Carriers in the world today. The only known Aircraft Carriers being built are China (2), India (2), Great Britain (2) and US (2). Without us staying a solid ally of Great Britain we will be short, meaning if we are the only one standing - we don't have adequate firepower, especially, if they strike first like Japan did in WW II.
We were headed to 60 at the close of WW II (only carried 30 - 45 planes vs 90 for ours today). What we know is when we go too few on these beasts that we cannot respond effectively to threats to our civilians.
Here is a Cato institute analysis from the 80's were they talk about up to 28 carriers would be needed during war just to keep 21 Active.
http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa134.html
Like it or not, that is too few to keep the world safe from pirates or other aggressors.
EEngineer
Rome's fall was because of the same mentality. Toward the end, instead of Roman citizens participating in the military, they hired mercenaries out of the countries they conquered. Pretty soon all the legions were all out at the shrinking fronts. Constantine could no longer defend Rome because the citizens wouldn't even defend themselves so he move the official Capital to Turkey.
DB Akron
Please separate piss ants from real combatants. ONE FF or FFG (with helo) could take on even a small fleet of pirates with half the crew watching the latest Harry Potter release. If/when it comes down to a "shooting" war that is another story.
President Bush and the French ambassador to the U.N. were debating the
Iraqi crisis.
The President tried to explain through an interpreter that if we don't
stop Hussein soon, he will obtain nuclear weapons. He further
explained that should that happen, any future likely conflict with the
madman could result in a bloodbath.
The French ambassador did not understand. It seems there is no word
for "bath" in French.
Neither do Americans,for that reasons,must had made President Bush looking great.
The chickenhawk Romney cannot grasp what it means to be in the military. Any elected official that chooses to vote that would put our troops in harm's way should be required to have served in the military. This would make ineligible almost every saber rattler in Congress. Only war hero John McCain could vote for the Republicans. Obama inherited the mess GW Bush and his fellow chickenhawks when they diverted the primary mission in Afghanistan of getting Bin Laden and the Taliban and took our troops to Iraq (note: Cheney, Wolfowitz, Abrams, Rove - all never served had no idea of what they doing - "a cake walk?" - yet steered the country into Iraq). What a bunch of loud mouthed lying cowards, Obama now needs to get our young servicemen and women out of Afghanistan.
BTW, I'm a vet, 4 years, USN - Vietnam Nam era (but never engaged in the conflict there) and the Republicans NEVER speak for me.
1.52 - with todays weapons technology available to China, Russia, and possibly others - a carrier, or super carrier is just a larger, higher value target. The only major weapons systems we should be spending any money at all are (1) nuclear and non nuclear capable attack submarines, and (2) advanced unmanned aerial weapons delivery platforms of all shapes, sizes, and capabilities - this includes long range cruise missile delivery. These types of weapons need to built in the 10,000s of thousands (along with their deployment mechanisms), and can be operated / piloted by a combination of on board intelligence and todays PC gamers - with a little extra training. Some Russian general quoted during WWII - "sometimes quanity has a quality all of its own". We cannot build enough conventional
aircraft nor train enough real pilots to compete with China - if China decides to make this a priority. If we try, we will be closing the barn door after the horse has already left.
Bill and others... no, I'm not in nor have I ever been in the service. I DO however read with great interest reports of the Chiefs of the different branches of service saying they don't need this aircraft or that ship, yet congress, ever the kiss up to their constituents (and lobbyist), keep plugging more and more money into these programs because it means votes. Pure and simple.
Romney seems to think that the best defense is a good offense. Well, guess what, war mongering isn't appreciated anywhere on this planet. Cut a trillion dollars from overseas military spending and use that money to beef up actual defense or to fish the economy out of the toilet. Since Romney thinks it's viable to maintain an oversized military without a vibrant economy to back it up, he is clearly delusional and should not be given any position of power, let alone the position of President.
No longer are boots on the ground effective. Results are tragic. Intelligence, Special Ops, Surgical Strikes, Covert Operations are key to future Military.
Romney Sr. (George Romney - the GOP candidate 1968) lost any chance of winning the nomination after he came back from a visit to Vietnam and accused US military commanders of 'brainwashing' our soldiers who would have not wanted to fight in Vietnam.
What Mitt is doing today? any irony?
strmz - rock stars are nice but with out the roadies there will be no shows...do you have any idea how many individuals it takes to support just one special operator let alone the whole team..for one the do not repair their own equipment, fly the helos let alone work on those, they do not drive the subs, carriers or any other naval craft that deliver them..5 of the squadrons i was in were used for air support called in by SF..that is 250 enlisted maintainers up to 24 pilots and that is just 1 12 plane squadron now times that 4 that is not including the other 12 or so birds on the roof..how many teams are there? now that is just for the navy...now take the army Spec ops..i can only imagine how many boots on the ground it takes to suply them...The above groups that you mentioned are very important but they can not do it all...you still have to have boots on the ground, there is no way around it
Talking about paying for the military, we now pay enough interest on our debt to China that it funds over 80% of their military. In a few short years our interest payments their can fully fund it. Our massive debt will be more dangerous to us than military threats.
Pigotry: When George Romney (Mitt's Dad) said he too was "brainwashed," Presidential candidate Gene McCarthy said Romney only needed a light rinse.
Are you kidding me??? You are actually comparing our military to social needs??? What an idiot. Look, Mitt, these are dangerous times. But it will be even more dangerous if we avoid cutting defense. For God's sake, we spend roughly 6-7% of our GDP on it!!!! We have to admit that we have overstretched our capabilities financially and need to scale back our military investments. This guy promises to restore our economy to health, yet plans to do it by cutting social programs that actually help the economy long-term and spending hundreds of billions of dollars into a short-term military boom. How this guy survives as a politically viable candidate is beyond my understanding.
Folks, we have to admit that the world is dangerous, but we must also admit that the defense budget is bloated and in need of cuts and reform. Personally, I would do that while seeking to avoid massive cuts while preserving our technological edge. My personal proposal would seek to achieve at least $800 billion in savings from defense over the next decade:
1. First, I would order the dismantling of 150 bases, mostly in Europe and the Mediterranean. This would save roughly $417 billion over the next decade.
2. Secondly, I would reduce all contracts with private contractors by 30%.
3. Next, I would reduce defense personnel by 8% gradually via attrition, saving roughly $125 billion.
4. Then, I would order a commission to cut waste in defense activities and contracting by about 50% over 5 years.
5. After that, I would reduce operation and maintenance costs by 10%, achieving roughly $312 billion in savings.
6. Finally, I would cut procurement costs by 7%, saving $106 billion.
Total savings=$960 billion over the next decade.
After achieving such savings, I would seek to reinvest some of the money to other defense projects over the next decade:
1. $30 billion in further cyber-warfare capabilities and systems.
2. $50 billion in additional R&D for unmanned drones and drone launch platforms.
3. $40 billion in funds to increase efficiency in the VA and to combat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
4. $40 billion in investments to increase energy efficiency in the military.
Finally, I would seek enact a few reforms to strengthen our national defense.
1. Only generals can ask for new weapons systems.
2. Contracts with private security forces must be less than 11% of all service contracts.
3. Gross peacetime defense outlays capped at 6.8% of GDP starting in 2014.
4. Reinstate the draft; all people are eligible for service between the ages of 17 and 45 except government employees, nurses, and doctors. No restrictions on race, religion, ethnicity, or income status.
OBAMA BIDEN 2012
@trust_verify
Less than 2% of our population is in uniform, active, reserve or guard.
You do realize that it is a total voluntary force, don't you? Do you think we use our military efficiently, and effectively as we possibly could? Better think again.
Leon Panetta points to deep cuts in the military is justified.
www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/72016.html
who do you propose we rotate to take their place? Especially since you are "leaning" the force. The fact that we are "lean" is why our troops are doing multiple combat tours.
How about other units and personnel? There is enough personnel and other fighting units in our military, however, the powers that be decide to expend units until it is exhausted as a tactical resources measure. That is wrong to a fault.
What do you propose we do with ALL of the military you plan on "leaning"? There are NOT a lot of civilian jobs that call for armed response and unemployment is still rather HIGH. On top of that civilian employers are "gun shy" about hiring just detached military persons.
The Iraq War was the first wide theater fought with civilian contracted security personnel. It was a total cluster f*ck too. The cost of using contractors was a billion dollar gift up the American taxpayer's keester.
www.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/washington/12contractors.html
America isn't interested in taking advice from that "Prancing French Poodle Romney " !
@HOTTICKET
Its an ALL volunteer force...is your son in the military? If so, he knew what he was signing up for. If not, then you have nothing to worry about.
@Satanick
We have one of the smallest standing armies besides Great Britain and you feel that we are bloated militarily? What planet are some of you people on? Last time we made massive cuts we launched into Vietnam and had to instill the draft to compensate.
Everyone here wants nothing to do with the draft, but then lambastes the use of contractor who in all actuality cost 33% less than fielding military support staff for each combat MOS solider boots on the ground.
Does anyone have a clue what they are bitching about?
The USMC hymn "to the shores of Tripoli." is a reference to a city that was the home base of pirates attacking americans and others.
Yes, Feisty old girl, let's cut military spending and let China take over the world! You may then be afraid, be very afraid.
On this special day in our annual holiday calendar, why can't you just spread a little love for our troops instead of venting your typical spleen about wanting more social programs?
Remember, freedom has a price, some have paid some, and some have paid all to keep us free so that you can continue to complain and whine.
Freedom is a tree that must regularly be watered with the blood of patriots.
bdune,
Where were you when Kennedy was shot? I do not need history lessons, but maybe you do. If you really want to know some interesting information on this try and find a copy of the old LA Free Press "Kennedy Exposé" that was published around 1981 or so. I can see that continuing this conversation with you would probably fall off into one of those so easy to do on this forum round and rounds with idiots who think they know more than everyone else.
riley-1759556
The numbers in our military are second only to China. Which makes sense since they have many times our population.
The American Society is based on making war, and controlled by the Military Industrial Complex.
Eisenhower warned the US 55 years ago about the Military Industrial Complex and now, such has happened.
Now today, behind the greed of Wall Street trying to create a "New World Order", outsourcing US Jobs, the US Military, the Banksters supporting them, America has created wars with: Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Iraq (twice, both Bush's) Afghanistan, now Pakistan, next Syria, Egypt, and of course Iran. Don't forget the "cold wars" with the Soviets and China (and the Cuban Missle Crisis) either.
America survives by its war machine!
Time to end FOREIGN AID, bring our troops home, protect US BORDERS, cut the MILITARY BUDGET and REBUILD AMERICA, creating jobs for Americans instead of our enemies!
Feisty: If Romney is a draft dodger what is Obama?
Don't know - but I'll be sure to get back to you when this country starts drafting 8 year olds...
To:Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL
Please do excuse me Readhead, but I suppose that President Obama has a great record in the Military. Just don't know which one. Please stop the marketing of a bad experiment.
As an Air Force dependent from the time I was conceived until I turned 18 with a father who served in the missile silos during Vietnam and an uncle who was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam ... I was frankly appalled that Romney used a Memorial Day appearance to campaign. Obama came close ... but did not use the appearances to do campaigning ("As long as I am President...").
The men and women who have died in service to their country DESERVE better than to have a candidate USE a day set aside to honor them to campaign, especially one who dodged the draft during the last time that we HAD a draft. My ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War. My grandfathers and great grandfathers served during WWI and WWII. My father served during Vietnam and the "Cold War". My uncle served during Vietnam. I have cousins who have joined the military (on BOTH sides of my family) and some who are still serving. I am OFFENDED by Romney's gall to use yesterday to make a CAMPAIGN appearance calling for increased military spending. He could have waited until today to make his pitch.
Big spending on military, and drastically cut spending on everything else... that would make us a "western N. Korea." But, let's also not forget that Romney has done nothing to denounce the anti-gay sentiment of the right wing, even the pastor from Mississippi, and as we have learned from the right that not coming out and immediately denouncing someone like that means you're aligned with them (If you're not with us, then...) Mittens jong-
Walker Ahmadinejad, anyone?
American's will choose. In my book, the military is too large. It can shrink back a bit. That said we need to keep our technological advantage.
However, building up the military to cut social programs is a non-starter.
yeah flipper you moron,we'll increase the military budget when you and all your sons enlist in the military until then gradual reduction of military budget, we spend far to much now we need to cut wasteful spending in our militaries for instance the waste by are Navy and Air force that go to sea and dump their loads of fuel just to maintain their fuel allowances given to their bases there is billions in waste by are militaries that won't hurt a thing to trim out, flipper is an idiot and Bless us all if he were to get in the White house..Obama 2012..
We can't cut the military budget unless we agree to make less bombs and bullets, every time they cut spending it only affects the military people themselves, we lose our COLA, have to pay more into our healthcare etc etc, neither Romney nor Obama should be saying anything as neither have any clue just what it takes to be part of the real 1%
And BTW just because you don't like what Feisty has to say I'd appreciate it if y'all would stop collapsing her posts it screws up my ability to click on new comments!!!!!!!!! That goes for ALL the collapsed posts! Unless it truly is against the COH stop it! I wish they'd get rid of that stupid ! button.
Freedom is a tree that must regularly be watered with the blood of patriots.
Now that's funny! Let's look at the latest war-mongers who claim to be patriots:
1. George W. Bush - Daddy Bush got him a tour in the Texas Air National Guard so he wouldn't have to serve in Viet Nam. Of course, he didn't finish out the full term - he left early to go politicking!
2. Dick Cheney - when became eligible for the draft, during the Vietnam War, he applied for and received five draft deferments. Before he became the Secretary of Defense; when asked about his deferments, Cheney reportedly said, "I had other priorities in the '60s than military service."
3. Mitt Romney - in 1966, Romney demonstrated pro-war and pro-draft. You would think he would be eager to serve his country but, no, he spent 30 months during the Viet Nam war as a missionary in France. Richard Anderson, the son of the mission president during Romney’s stay, described it as “a house built by and for rich people,” complete with stained glass windows (which scandalized the Mormon missionaries due to their depiction of a bare-breasted woman), chandeliers, massive bedrooms, a full-time chef, a houseboy... Yeah, that's some tough duty there!
Guess there is just not much chance of any Bush, Cheney or Romney blood watering the tree, eh?
Now, that quote you cited was only half complete:
The tree of Liberty needs to be watered from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. Thomas Jefferson
Haven't we had enough of the PNAC? The "Project for a New American Century", yeah it's project alright, a project to send us to the poor house. Security comes in many forms. Militarily yes, but also economic, social, diplomatic, and yes even morally. Shall we review what these neo-cons have gotten us into lately. Iraq, a war in Afghanistan that should have ended years and years ago had they not taken their eye off of the real objective , and now we have the same ones, ignoring the "generals on the ground", clamoring to go into Iran. We all know that if a enemy can't be found, they will create one.
PNAC meetings reveal they were looking for a "incident" to justify the actions they wanted to take to take. We know now they used 9/11 specifically for that purpose. We're left with war without end amen. Al Qaeda pulled a Ronald Reagan on us and enticed us to spend trillions we don't have. They spent a couple hundred thousand pulling off 9/11. Our response has cost trillions. Be very careful, as Ike said about the military industrial complex, chicken hawks with an alterior motive.
You do realize that the same guy who said that (Thomas Jefferson) also said that "the spirit of this country is totally adverse to a large military force???"
OBAMA BIDEN 2012
We need less government military and a stronger Militia.
Please tell me again about the liberal media that has 6 articles about Romney and only one each about Obama and Biden. Boohoo...the media is liberal so say the right wing nuts. What a joke.
If the military shrinks its numbers, there goes Romney's dreams of invading Iran and going to war against China. And there goes his dreams of making mega-billions of taxpayer dollars for himself and his Bain cronies with the military-industrial complex that Eisenhower warned us about.
I suppose that if Romney the Chickenhawk becomes President, he's going to have to reinstate the Draft in the U.S. to get all of us poor people, working class, middle class and minorities (cannon-fodder, anyone but wealthy, neo-conservatives like himself) to fight his "Christian" World Wars against billions of Muslims and Asians, on several fronts, at the same time.
Never mind that on the other side of the world, they have mega-millions of willing, religious fighters on their side, ...and China with its with manufacturing might, navies, subs, mobile armor, fighter jets, space programs, and nuclear-tipped ICBM's, as well.
Needless to say, his dreams of fulfilling Apocalyptic Biblical Armageddon prophesies on a global scale must really appeal to people like Romney. All to convince politically-conservative veterans to come and vote for him, eh?
Last time we made massive cuts we launched into Vietnam and had to instill the draft to compensate.
Another popular war with unequivocal, decisive results! The question is (and always has been) is the military machine what it claims to be? i.e. Defense? Or is it for something else entirely? The war in Afghanistan... defense! The war in Iraq... not so much. In fact, not at all! The war in Viet Nam and the war in Iraq accomplished nothing except to make some companies rich at the expense of a lot of lives.
And those leading the charge (from behind, of course)... draft dodgers, people who never served a day in their lives but feel qualified to decide that Americans must die for their nebulous dreams.
The tree of Liberty needs to be watered from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. Thomas Jefferson
I think enough patriots have watered that tree. It is about time for some tyrants (you know, those who never felt the need to serve but feel they have an undisputed right to command others to their death) to water that tree!
Feisty is correct here is the technique conservatives use to scare it's mental midgets.
Panic Mongering. This goes one step beyond simple fear mongering. With panic mongering, there is never a break from the fear. The idea is to terrify and terrorize the audience during every waking moment. From Muslims to swine flu to recession to homosexuals to immigrants to the rapture itself, the belief of conservatives seems to be that if your fight-or-flight reflexes aren't activated, you aren't alive. This of course raises the question: why terrorize your own audience? Because it is the fastest way to bypasses the rational brain. In other words, when people are afraid, they don't think rationally. And when they can't think rationally, they'll believe anything.
@ kardy,
His father was from Mexico and no one knows what his grandfather did for a living. He may have been the leader of a drug cartel. It's nice to know we can give our country over to someone who has no history in it.
I'm sorry. I thought he was against shirking military.
You arent likely to see a significant shrinking of the military any time soon. Not only because of the power of the Military Industrial Complex (Eisenhower WARNED us waaay back then...) but also because of fear. Not fear from foreigners, but fear of these very same American men, all coming home to no jobs, and an increasingly angry citizenry. They want these men occupied and preferably out of the country. The last thing they want is a bunch of angry combat-ready men milling about, getting as desperate as the general citizenry. Thats why they list veterans as potential domestic terrorism threats.
I agree with the sentiment but truth is old men start wars and send young men to fight them. It's always been that way, I'm pretty sure it always will be. Understand something; this has nothing to do with national defense. This is about defense contractors and political contributions.
Another point is that Romney wants a military capable of fighting Russia, China and Iran. Does he plan to create a 10 million man standing army? With all the saber rattling he's been doing regarding possible military action against Iran he may have to be ready to fight the Russians as well. If we were to survive another neoconservative administration try to imagine the bill coming due.
StrengthInNumbers - Hate to be the one to break this to you but the "Reduction in Force" has already begun. This is something that happens after every significant conflict. It's not politics, it's economics. Romney is talking smack to get elected. The military just like education is an investment. Unlike education, the military pays no dividends unless you own stock in one of the defense contractors.
Poor Eisenhower always misquoted and taken out of context.
IMO the size of the military force should be doubled. And when it comes to cuts let the other departments take proportionate cuts to what DoD did after the Iron Curtain fell and peace broke out all over the world. Then talk about defense cuts.
That pic TELLS ALL; Rommel, McCain and a vet. You know what Rommel's got in mind: HUGE American meilitary, OTHER PEOPLE's Sons fighting Newly thought up And VERY PROFITABLE WARS And NO American Universal National healthCare System. Even Prez O was "forced" to cut a deal with the powerful health insurance industry. Does ANYONE KNOW what the ceo of United HealthCare took Home for 2008 Salary? Hold onto your hats: $128,000,000 *C A S H* WHILE, Mind You, their paid policyHolders were denied and DIED. The fact that America HAS NO Universal HealthCare System like the other countries, which take care of their citizens, instead of fattening the wallets of the EVIL Rich and paying for THEIR Unending Wars, IS A NATIONAL DISGRACE... Yeah, A lot of US are mad at Prez O; He let the $4.00+Gas and oil go by without a protest OR Complaint to the Justice Dept Going after the oil companies for price fixing And price GOUGING. AND that shaking hands with karzai of afghan after what he said????? "thanks sucker taxpayers..." NONEtheless has anybody got an idea what republicanCrimeCartelSoldierRommel will do to US and ANY economic progress made?? He will GUT US LIKE A FLAPPIN' FISH ON THE DOCK.....You're gonna' see Unemployment up to 30% and NO Social Security..Gotta Pay for New Wars And NO MEDICAL CARE
AND "healthcare" policies cost SKYROCKET out of control. Don't fall for the republicanCrimeCartelPropaganda and just say NO!!! to MittTaxPittanceRommel.
Here's the rundown on Mitt Romney's devastating record as CEO of Bain Capital, a tenure marked by bankruptcies, bailouts, and mass layoffs — all while Romney and his partners raked in Billions of Dollars in profits for the firm and Romney himself amassed a Quarter-Billion Dollar Fortune.
Romney's Bain Capital Caused Mass Layoffs, Sent Jobs Overseas
Thousands of Americans were laid off by Bain Capital at companies it purchased, managed, and, at least a quarter of the time, drove into bankruptcy, ruining Lives, Destroying Careers and Families including Many Many Suicides While stuffing his pockets, Keeping his Darling son OUT of service to his country with the line "My son is Fulfilling his Patriotic Duty by helping me get elected"...Got that one?? and, Of Course, installing the InHouse car elevator for his "darling little boy's $180,000Ferrari....Listen Up People...This guy IS Count Dracula In carnate
Now is definitely not the right time to downsize the military. China and Russia are spending record amounts on theirs, it's just not a smart move.
In fact, it's time to start chiseling down the bloated entitlement spending at home.
The country doesn't know how it will pay for the needed care to those inured over the past ten years or so. Expensive weapons systems will have to wait.
I agree Gomerowsu. Some of our military technology is outdated. I think future warfare may be fought differently, like using drones instead of fighters with pilots in them. China is rising rapidly, if we don't do anything, China will surpass America in military power.
And do you have the documentation?
If you look at all the countries in the world you would think we are a military state. Maybe that is what some countries see and why they don't like us.
(2012)The top 5 countries' military spending (as a % of all military spending) are: US 41.0%, China 8.2%, France 3.6%, UK 3.6%, and Russia 4.1%.
The next 10 combined = 21.3%.
The rest of the world combined = 18.2%.
http://www.globalissues.org/article/75/world-military-spending
We need to decide what our military is for. Is it national defense only or is it also an instrument of political power? To accomplish the first, our military could easily be smaller, but to accomplish the second, it needs to remain large, technologically sophisticated, and mobile.
I haven't been impressed with what I've seen of the military option in global affairs in my lifetime so I'm inclined to support the former, defensive-only definition, but I don't want to go overboard and reduce our offensive capabilities too much. There's a fine line, but we sure don't need to be spending as much as we have been on it.
Gomer #2
you bet Gomer...let's crank up the spending like we did in the Cold War....then find out the Russians had nothing but empty silos..
spread the fear like a good repubby....
Gomer, if you truly wanted to help this country you wouldn't suggest tons more money or even keeping the same amount thrown away. The amount of money the US uses for contracting and the military itself as a function of our total spending is just plain obscene, and you want to lower domestic spending to pay for wars most Americans don't support? We support our soldiers and their efforts, but the wars, the obscene contracts, the waste, the loss of limb and life, the devastation to other cultures, and the cost (monetarily and emotionally) of caring for those injured military personnel just way too high all to be big bad scary America.
If you truly want to get our military in shape would support trimming fat, waste, cutting contracts for people who commit crimes in ours and other countries, and you focus on making resources count.
And ask the people who have nothing if they feel help is bloated...yes, cut fraud and waste, but I would say spending on our own citizens who honestly need the help should come before all the spending I mentioned above. These are people we are talking about sending to hostile countries and bringing home maimed and in boxes, and keeping spending up to keep contractors employed and useless projects that don't work or aren't needed is just one more obscene idea. There is plenty of money...it's just used for things that don't help the average person. Instead it goes to those who already have enough or who want to stay in power. that isn't what I thought America was about.
You are an idiot. I hate the word chisel. The only chiselers are the filth employed by Lockheed Martin, Halliburton, and the rest of the government moochers. THEY sir are the real crooks. $200. for a toilet seat is a deal. Government Contractors are second only to investment bankers as the scum of this earth.
"then find out the Russians had nothing but empty silos.."
Where did you get that information from? The Soviet Union had enough Nuclear missiles to level the USA. They still do.
Shazam, Gomer. And what entitlements are we talking about, Social Security and Medicare? You can start by not receiving yours.
Now is definitely not the right time to downsize the military.
Who is downsizing the military?
Of course we have to keep spending!
Do you people have any IDEA how much it costs to operate a Stargate?
Russia's military budget was around $70 billion last year. China's was about $100 billion. The US 'defense' budget was over $700 billion (not counting the war). NOW is the time to reduce the 'defense' budget. The US has increased it's 'defense' budget by about 10% every year since 2001. It was about $300 billion 10 years ago.
Ja, our taxes should be used exclusively for TAKING LIVES, not SAVING LIVES, especially not the lives of those who are entitled to the entitlements after they or their families paid into the system for decades.
Only workers have value! Only money has value! Human life must be appraised only in terms of its corporate profit potential!
Sieg heil! Sieg heil! Sieg heil! *stomp stomp stomp stomp stomp*
America is feeling more and more like 1939 Germany every day...
Our military men and women are a small part of the military-industrial complex we were warned about by President Eisenhower. Not very many people took that warning very seriously except JFK, and look what happened to him. Since then we have had two wars of choice, Viet Nam and Iraq, that have lasted 15 years, that cost us billions and billions of dollars and millions of casualties, dead and wounded. The only clear winner of these wars is our military-industrial complex and Iran where the Iraq war was concerned. We are no longer a country government by "We the People", because of congress being bought and paid for by the large corporations and military contractors, we are at the mercy of their philosophy of "get more money, legally if have to". They care about little else, especially the veterans who parish in these wars of choice. My father is buried at Point Loma. I am also a veteran of the US Navy.
Look what happened to Marilyn Monroe!
Gomer,
Bloated what? How much is 800 billion? That's what you and me taxpayer are spending on the missile shield for europe. Just that one little military expense would probably fix all our crumbling infrastructure........or get pretty close to it. And think of the jobs money spent here at home would create.
The most important thing is not about size, it's really about high tech. First of all, the US has led in this area.
But the US should keep reinventing its military and never fall behind in high tech weaponry.
Otherwise, it's time to cut the size of the military and allow many battle-worn personnel to have a good rest. They deserve it. Reducing the physical size of the military can save more money for R&D.
Dennis thank you, great post. We spend far more then any other Country. We must keep our Defense Juggernaut plowing ahead.
Gomer don't care about that. He only cares that the commie's, muslims and fags aren't coming to take his guns and rape his pigs.
And the US has about ten times that many. Does that make you feel any safer?
Here's a place to start trimming the bloat and pork in the military budget. I'm sure there are hundreds of other pork projects like this one. A $17,000 dollar drip pan for a Blackhawk helo. So far the military has blown about $6.5 million on them even though another company is making the same product for $2500 apiece.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/19/us/politics/behind-armys-17000-drip-pan-harold-rogerss-earmark.html?_r=2
Hey Tony - I ♥ the new avatar, can I make a suggestion?
You should go with the one of Marcus & his proclivity for corn dogs? lol
No one can go down on them better then Marcus! ;o)
tonybeeerm
One would hope with the advent of the internet (something Al Gore "claimed" to invent) that people would do a little research before pulling number out of their backsides. Especially when it tool longer to type this than it did to locate the information.
Russia (former Soviet Block) 17000 stockpiled, 7200 operational/deployed
USA 9900 stockpiled, 5500 operational/deployed
China 150 - 200 estimated
More than enough to "clean" house about ten times over. Which is where I think you got your "ten times" idea.
trust,
That link was 5 years old here is a recent report on warheads:
USA Active/Total = 2150 / 8000
Russia Active/Total = 1800 / 10,000
UK Active/Total = 160 / 225
China Active/Total = 0 / 250
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_states_with_nuclear_weapons
Social Security and Medicare are not Federal Entitlements when you pay or it for more than 40 years out of your weekly pay checks. And then the Govt. borrows the money to pay for the wars without paying any interest for the loan. Of course the Rethuglicans using that euphemism (social welfare entitlements) would like to think these are freebees given to lazy shiftless people, who don't want to continue working for slave wages.
Dennis, Columbus, Ohio
Thanks for the "update". Not sure wikipedia is exactly a reliable source but it still shows that tony was more than a bit off on his 10 times numbers.
@Thinker... really doesn't matter where the money went... total budget outlay is total outlay and counts for what it is.
Hey thanks. I thought you would enjoy it. And thanks for the suggestion, but I like the thought of Michelle gagging on a corn dog. Fits her political views. Just wonder how many of the rwnj's are going to complain to the mods about it.
Hey trust verify - why don't you answer my question which was:
I mean, really! WTF good is it if the earth is scorched with radiation. Would you feel better?
Actually I feel rather comfortable in this day and age. Compared to the fall of the Berlin wall time period especially.
Do the math.. MAD works for USA, Russia, China. Paki and India would take out a few million people then be back to sticks and stones. Iran and Israel... a couple hit wonders and then there is too much distance. Korea???? Yep I worry they would get our troops in S. Korea. Again a couple hit wonders.
Who does that leave? France, UK, a few here and there?
The world would be in a BIG hurt if the middle east went aglow. I just don't see a world nuclear exchange. China has too much to lose. They are DIRECTLY downwind of where things are most likely to happen.
We are more likely to see a nuke plant leak, see japan (yes they are all shuttered), than we are to see a nuclear exchange in say the next 5 years. Check with me then for updates lol.
China vs China (USA) is possible of course but again there is too much MONEY for Red China to lose. They don't NEED a carrier to reach Taiwan.
India doesn't NEED a carrier to reach Pakistan.
Both China and India could use a carrier for force projection but where are they going to project that they can't already reach that matters to them?
I think we have more to worry about along our southern border and further south than we do about a nuclear exchange.
Perhaps China will decide to take on Afghanistan in the next decade just so they don't feel left out. Third time is a charm. I am sure they will deal harshly with all those poppy growers.
Feisty - That's not a corndog, that is Marcus!
Hey Rumney, how about warning of the perils of my shrinking wallet you two faces SOB.
F'ing GOP and their Chicken Hawks who love to spend money only on killing and not taking care of Americans. Those Americans they then demonize instead of helping. They then call them they enemy. Boy some folks are purely deceived to believe the crap the GOP feeds them.
China and Russia DO NOT DISCLOSE their military budgets, so any figures given are a GUESS. We cannot base our military budget on the figures given for other potentially hostile nations, because they are bogus. That doesn't mean we can't cut our military, but we have to be smart about it, just as we need to be smart as we cut other departments of our bloated government, so that they can continue to function, but as leaner and meaner organizations.
The Department of Defense should absolutely expect to have modest cuts in staffing and spending levels, and those cuts should be a guideline for what needs to happen across our ENTIRE Federal Government. Sadly, the first line of cuts is always military personnel, when in fact civilian defense contractors should be the first to get the ax and service members among the last.
The American Society is based on making war, and is controlled by the Military Industrial Complex.
Eisenhower warned the US 55 years ago about the Military Industrial Complex and now, such has happened.
Now today, behind the greed of Wall Street trying to create a "New World Order", outsourcing US Jobs, the US Military, the Banksters supporting them, America has created wars with: Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Iraq (twice, both Bush's) Afghanistan, now Pakistan, next Syria, Egypt, and of course Iran. Don't forget the "cold wars" with the Soviets and China (and the Cuban Missle Crisis) either.
America survives by its war machine!
Time to end FOREIGN AID, bring our troops home, protect US BORDERS, cut the MILITARY BUDGET and REBUILD AMERICA, creating jobs for Americans instead of our enemies!
Obscene military spending is crippling the country. Put the money in infrastructure and people. These are things what give us real strength.
Cut the bloated entitlement spending. Unless I'm mistaken, entitlement spending includes military retirement and disability checks for those wounded in action. So let's put more troops in harms way, then, when we're through with them we'll kick them to the curb. You really are a Gomer.
US should cut at least 75% of the defense spending and move all troops stationed overseas to protect our borders from illegal traffic in people and drugs.
The very reason that Republicans and some Democrats do not want the Military budget cut is that they are shills for the Corporations that produce goods for the Military which means that those Companies would lose money. Their aim is for more profits not the security and safety of the American People.
In 1974 immediately after the end of the Vietnam War, American Oil Companies faced the loss of their biggest buyer, the Military and billions in profits. These same Oil Companies then helped to stage the OPEC embargo thus causing a so called Oil shortage within the U.S. In reality it was the very time that many ships carrying crude were anchored 5+ miles offshore, hundreds and perhaps thousands, of state-side producing wells were capped off, and refineries were operating at a much reduced volume even tho crude oil was stored in a very large volume, which allowed prices to jumped up.
The decision to cut the military budget was already made last summer. Our fine congressional leaders (on both sides of the aisle) decided that they could not come to a regular, ordinary agreement, so they decided to do an "I dare you" agreement.
The result of the Budget Control Act of 2011 (that's a budget for all you people who say a budget has not been passed) is that defense and non-defense spending gets cut. Since the TeaPublican Party has decided that they can't pay for their wars with tax increases, particularly not on the wealthy, this budget law requires the cuts to defense.
The other result of the manufactured crisis was the down grade of the US credit rating by S&P. Effectively, S&P said that the politicians who did not take a US debt default as a serious matter (the Tea Party Republicans) should not be in charge.
That's a clue for anyone who has any sanity. Don't vote Republican...EVER!!!
That's the problem though, weapons are the last thing to get cut, it's the military personnel who feel it when we "cut spending"
Maybe it is time men and women in the military serve for one term and leave for the private sector for jobs. Just so you know I have had many relatives who were lifers in the military. One retired as a Sgt. Major and served his first war in Korea and many tours in the Nam.
Here's the problem with ignorant monkeys on a typewriter. They put words together without fact. Al Gore did not make the claim to invent the internet.
http://www.snopes.com/quotes/internet.asp
This is not a freaking football game. The Chinese have a very long (expensive) way to go before they surpass the US Military. I would ask you this; if China did surpass the US in military capability do you truly believe they would invade this country? If so, it must suck to be so frightened.
Dennis, Columbus, Ohio,
Well stated.
tonybeeerm,
The avatar rocks.
Scary talk and in very bad taste on this solemn day.
Ok, should he have said that he would shut down the military?
Just admit it that whatever Romney says you will have a problem with.
I just love hearing rich chicken hawks talking about the glories of war.
geez eliot - a little testy?
1. who exactly said the "military" should be shut down?
2. who says we need to "increase" military spending?
maybe intelligent people will look for a compromise in the middle!
None of them ever serve either. Mittens was preaching the word of Joseph Smith in Paris. LOTS of Mormons over there. 95% Catholic. LOTS of converts Mittens. Dick Cheney didn't serve; GW paid for conscription-just like the Civil War. Before you start hollerin' you skanky re-pube-lickens Nam ended when Obama was like 13. Only Confederates and Nazi's take 13 year olds.
Okay, I admit it.
elliot-3020456...
...are YOU a VET?
Maybe what he should have said was a simple thank you to the fallen servicemen amd women and offered thanks and consolation to the families.
maybe intelligent people will look for a compromise in the middle!
It is easier to just argue from your emotions and stick to your position no matter what. Thinking and compromising have nothing to do with it.
You forgot Russians. Lots of kids fought in WW2.
It cost a lot to keep 13 million illegals and their kids in the US, and to feed all their relatives in Latin America.
Kick them out and watch the economy flourish!
Okay, where are the jobs going to come from?
@Reading5x5, Sorry to burst your bubble but the farmers in GA are having to cut back on their planting this year due to the illegal crackdown there. They can't get anyone to do the backbreaking labor of harvest for minimum wage.... other than illegals that is.
Nora-616050
LOVE to burst your bubble Nora but the "farmers" did not APPLY for migrant worker permits like they should/could have and instead tried to be ILLEGAL. What part of ILLEGAL don't you understand? The farmers would have had plenty of workers at substandard wages if they had done the paperwork.
Just what the country needs, more substandard wage jobs.
I agree. Just talking to what degree there. Still we are talking legal vs illegal and piss poor planning. Lets keep on the military subject for now though.. Immigration, legal or otherwise, is an entirely different topic.
Ron Paul wanted to cut offensive spending, and he would have used the money domestically. Just imagine if a trillion dollars appeared out of "nowhere" and all of it got pumped into the economy. Offensive spending is pointless in peacetime and unsustainable during a recession. But Romney refuses to acknowledge this.
People are often under the mistaken impression that spending money on something like the military is going to improve it automatically - just send a check, that will fix it. Nobody is saying we need a weakened military, but spending more than 20% of our federal budget on defense is weakening our country. I would submit that the US military is very good, but we need to consider how to make it even better by becoming more cost-effective at addressing increasingly sophisticated and varying (often cheaply assembled) threats. If our enemies get us to spend all our money on defense - they win, we don't.
You're right, node. The Republicans have always argued for spending cuts and efficiency in government. Well, where else to start than the defense budget!!
OBAMA BIDEN 2012
Here is an example of 75% savings in military spending: instead of buying a $800 flashlight, buy a $200 flashlight - it is still grossly overpriced flashlight but at least you do not look like a TOTAL MORON.
Who the hell invited Mitt to make comments on Memorial Day anyway? Totally inappropriate. He couldn't lead a parade of turtles to water. This "man" and I do use the term loosely, isn't fit to lead anyone. What an ignorant, pompous a**!
and Iraqis Afghanis and viet cong, we're the only country that doesn't use children.
Mitt is a wussie!! Walks like one, talks like one. His pants would be FULL OF DUNG if he ever had to enter a theater of war, you can see it in his eyes!!!
Why doesn't Willard talk about the grave perils of an ever-expanding military???
Oh, then his military-funding-beneficiary backers will pull their funds from Willard's campaign.
We could slash the military spending in half and still outspend everyone else. The GOP's message of smaller government is a lie.
Apparently you aren't aware of what our military does. You want America to be the shining city on the hill but you don't like our military?
Where in my post does it say that I don't like our military?
eliot
you continue to spew falsehoods and fear mongering!
And where in his post did he say that he wanted "America to be the shining city on the hill?" Not everyone shares your goal of world-wide imperial dominance. Some of us would like to maybe live in peace at some point.
I suspect Elliot is another repugnican chickenhawk. Ever serve, Elliot, or do you just like seeing others die so you can chant, "We're #1"...
And Satanick is right...we spend more on our military than the next 15 countries combined. That's absurd, especially at a time when our infrastructure is crumbling and we can't feed the poor or educate our kids. How old are you ,Elloit? You should think this thing through. If our guys are better and more motivated than theirs, I don't see why we need to spend obscene amounts of money on weapons and research. How about if we spend some of it to treat our injured soldiers after they come home and make sure they don't wind up homeless??? You chickenhawks...
Let's be real honest here...this is about fattening up Halliburton and Bechtyel and Cheney. That's sick. My grandkids are more important than Halliburton.
suspect Elliot is another repugnican chickenhawk. Ever serve, Elliot, or do you just like seeing others die so you can chant, "We're #1"...
Thomas that was awesome. love it
There's one man who stands between Romney and wasting money. His name is Ron Paul.
Thomas Blue
So you would suggest we OUTSOURCE like we are doing with diplomatic and supply protection now instead of having real military who, in theory, are more accountable and cost less? There are already those who are bytching about how much we spend on returning veterans. Simply downsizing the military won't reduce that cost nor make the whiners go silent.
And before you ask.. Yes I did serve. Even have the partial disability check to prove it.
We have been outsourcing to the tune of billions that the taxpayer has paid for.
www.huffingtonpost.com/.../leon-panetta-defense-budget_n_127577...
b dune, fear? did I scare you little one. grow up pansy.
Show me the fear mongering in my statement. You can't because you are just a moronic uneducated liberal hack suckling the government tit waiting for another talking point.
all of you Hitler youth socialist wannabees are in for a rude awakening when you realize that the country has moved past your government handouts and dependency.
People are tired of being pigeonholed by the democrat party and told that they are down because of the achievement of others. Your altruistic facade is wearing, and the people are starting to see your boots on their necks.
Galt-2012-∞
@trust_verify
I don't believe I said that.
If military service was a prerequisite to run for public office, our military would be a whole lot smaller.
Trust/verify-you miss the point completely-the military budget needs to be cut in half. We have dozens of unnecessary foreign bases that should be closed and dozens of redundant and obsolete weapons programs that need to go away. We need to cut waste in government in all areas and the military budget is the worst.
Then we need to look at the bloated Department of Agriculture.
Correct, RealistPondering.There was a fighter jet or bomber not too long ago that had been in planning for several years and the DOD or Air Force decided that they didn't want it- poor design or unnecessary and yet it proved harder to kill than crabgrass because of politics and pork-barrel politicians. A total waste of money that wasn't even wanted by the military, just wanted by its vendors. You may also recall that we largely reduced our armed forces at the end of WWI but I believe that we fought pretty well in WWII. It is obvious that having a massive military budget hasn't been a deterrent to aggression anywhere in the world. We aren't the world's cops. Our first obligation is to our kids and brothers and certainly not least of all, our veterans, not to Hamid Karzai or Jamie Dimon. It should be considered outrageous by all that while Romney and others want to talk about the importance of our military, they are looking at how to cut money on veterans ' benefits. George Bush's very first act as POTUS was to discontinue the act of informing departing veterans of the benefits that they HAD ALREADY EARNED in the hopes that if they didn't know their rights, it would save some money. More than a year after my son left the Marines, he was still finding out about benefits he didn't know were available to him, and this after two tours of duty in Iraq as combat infantry and never getting through a day without pain as a direct result of that duty. This is unacceptable. In fact, I wouldn't complain too much if the POTUS and congress left the military budget intact if they simply took care of the vets like they're supposed to. As on many other issues, though, Romney has no clue.I sincerely doubt that he even personally knows a vet.
SonofMollyM...I don't have a problem with a public servant not having military service. I do have a problem with a CIC having been a draft dodger, a la Bill Clinton or George Bush or Dickless Chainy. People like me died in Viet Nam so people like them could drink beer and get high in the states but now that they can hide behind others, they're suddenly tough guys. What hypocrisy and BS. I will always wonder if Clinton used our military so sparingly out of respect for his guys or because he was so focused on spending. It was the right decision but I wonder if it was for the right reason.
I served in Europe during the height of the Cold War. We were spending much less on the military than now, nothing was outsourced, and we were still Number One. You don't have to piss away a trillion dollars per year to keep America safe.
A smaller Government means one that can be overthrown easier. A Government led by the Libertarian/Republican Party where Corporations assume the ownership and responsibility of the Military, Justice System, and anything else that fancies them. If you think this is a farce, please do a little reading about the various sects within the Libertarian Party (now a central part of the Republican Party).
all of you Hitler youth socialist wannabees are in for a rude awakening when you realize that the country has moved past your government handouts and dependency.
Hitler was a fascist, not a socialist. Did you not go to school because that would be a government hand out?
Of course he does not want to shrink this insane military machine, it profits his friends, Halliburton, Cheney, blackwater mercenaries and others like weapon dealers ! Those criminals make their money on death, misery and destruction ! And they use your hard earned taxes that should go for universal health care, free college education, free job training programs, repair of infrastructures et other good programs to better american's lives !
Those morons with all their artillery can't even win a war ! WHAT A WASTE !!!
Vote all republicans, OUT !
If Romney is elected president, there'll be no shortage of more dead soldiers to memorialize the last Monday in May. He's hot to trot when it comes to starting wars, just like the last Republican president.
yeah, though he was too busy to fight in one
and his sons are ' too good ' to serve
Just another chicken hawk.
Maybe we can use the military on the border instead of in other countries. Two rows of razor wire with landmines in between. Soldiers in towers every so often with orders to shoot. Stop the invasion.
That is why it might be better to have a women president, she would think twice before sending her children off to war, but the red presidents never send there children either, a different reason though.
I don't think that plugging in a female would solve anything. You need qualifications and ideals, not simply a different gender.
Mitt Romney is MAGIC!!! He can balance the budget, eliminate our debt AND grow the military! Why isn't this guy doing better in the polls?
I think I heard that song before, I think Ronald Reagan was the vocalist. And he proved three things, he was a third rate actor, a lousy singer and we won't even talk about his economics.
I'm sure these thoughts were going through his head in French... As he pedaled his way around France avoiding the draft.
Romney reminds me of M.T. Suit: "We need to sell solutions, not products!"
I haven't been able to figure out the new Romney Math either, but I'm sure all will be revealed at some point when the curtain is pulled back and we get a peek.
How much bigger do we need it? Even if cut in half we could kick the crap out of the entire rest of the world. This militerization is more about money for the Military Industrial complex, raiding the resources of others, expanding our Empire, that is already pretty shacky, and making more enemies. What we need should be for defense and not overwhelming offense.
This posture our leadership has bowed to will bite us in the ass as it has been doing. A system of alternate energy sources will elliminate the need for most wars. We have literally taken over Iraq. It ain't to give them democracy, it is to make sure our "friends" that have bought our government get to exploit their oil.
We'd do fine if the rest of the word didn't use asymmetrical warfare.
Who would meet us in open battle? It would be suicide.
A country that wanted to bring us to our knees would do so by either calling our debts, or sneaking a force/warheads/you name it across the Mexican border into our cities and holding us hostage.
What's the MIC's response to that?
Or secretly putting the warheads in communication satellites!! Oh! Oh! We'll need a bigger military to counter that threat, quick call Raytheon!
Raytheon uses Chinese engineers. Might want to call somebody else.
Good call,SonofMollyM. And it reminds me of another outrageous problem that is truly insidious: the use of counterfeit parts, usually from China, by DOD vendors. This, of course, not only takes away American jobs but could also jeopardize American lives for obvious reasons. To date, no one has gone to jail for this that I am aware of, and only recently has congress or DOD started to consider regulations with real teeth against vendors who have sold this Chinese crap to our military and then played stupid when they were busted, saying, "I didn't know". For the money they make, they damn well SHOULD KNOW.
China and Russia don't spend a fraction of their wealth on military as the US does. If we have learned nothing else from the success of the drone strategy to target terrorists and the successful Seal team strike that found Osama bin Laden, then we should now know that size does not matter. Smaller, precisely trained, military men and women with technological and intelligence advantages will meet our needs far more effectively at lower cost and lower casualties, than large ground armies.
This is real 20th century thinking on Romney's part, learned no doubt at the knee of Cheney's neocons. He might want to re-think his advisors because the last thing we need is a Bush II redux.
Are you kidding me? What about the extension in Afghanistan and Libya by Obama? Why do people think there is any difference between left and right?
Oh please, Elmer. Bush started 2 major wars. Obama did actually try to win the one that we were losing, but that is about to wind down too. And Libya was less of a war than the 10-year Iraq no-fly zone that 3 presidents conducted.
And now the Republicans want us to bomb Iran.
Elmer
did you mean to say the "successful" Libyan operation by NATO?
@Elmer: Oh you mean the Libya action, that placed no US troops on the ground and required just our equipment? In fact, Libya in it's entirety was run in the exact fashion that Anita spoke of. Using our technology as leverage to win a conflict. Drones, planes and most of all, no US Troop casualties.
Obama is putting our military in places most of the American public doesn't even realize. Africa, for instance.
"places most of the American public doesn't know about"...
well "bevar" how about naming those "places" - that is "places" as in plural!
* besides the 100 troops who went to Uganda October 2011....
let's hear the long list!
At least Obama doesn't make warmongering his main job.
However, Russia has supported Iran's nuclear program which is a threat to our ally Israel. Also, Iran could hit Europe with missiles, the reason for needing a missile defense system in Europe which Russia opposes. Romney is right in assuming Russia could again be our greatest threat if they undermine the security of us and our allies at every turn.
bevvar - What about Bush putting our military in Paraguay - where the Bushes bought vast pieces of land next to Rev Moon - but only after they convinced the goverment to abolish extradition
I understand the CIA was also there - wonder why - an escape route for "war crimes"
What cracks me up about Romney - his best buddy is the "birther" The Donald and his next best buddy is Cheney who left the White House with a 13% approval rating
Does Romney even know "losers" when he sees them?
Bruce...Isreal is not our ally.Have you forgotten the USS Liberty? Isreal has no loyalty. To anyone. That is not a friend. They are willing to kill our sailors. That is not a friend.
The Viet Nam war at a cost of more than 58,000 American lives has forever changed my view of the military/industrial use of warmongering politicians.
I think one really pathetic thing about Viet Nam was that it possibly could have been unnecessary if it wasn't because of politicians. After WWI Ho Chi Minh repeatedly asked the US to help them set up self-governing like we did in the other embattled nations, and pleas were ignored.
http://rationalrevolution.net/war/collection_of_letters_by_ho_chi_.htm
But we were more friends with Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle, who hated America, than Uncle Ho, who liked the US, so began the fiasco known as the Viet Nam war, go figure. All hail the Military-Industrial complex, they won big in that one, they got rid of all the old munitions and supplies from WWll and Korea, and would have to spend much more to re-develop and re-arm, yes, the Viet Nam war was very, very good to them!!
I would disagree with Mr Romney. As long as we have enough tomahawks to level the world ten times over, we have enough deterrent. Also, If Russia was going to attack us, they would have already. And China? Give me a break! The only reason we need to outpace China is if we were to default on our debt. What would China's motivation be to attack us when we owe them 4 trillion dollars.
We don't owe it to the world to be the policemen. In fact, I believe our debt is a larger risk to our security, especially if China were to start calling some of the shots here at home.
The thing is, for that to be an effective deterrent, our government would have to be willing to actually use them.
tammy, are you stupid wrapped in a bun? Do you know what the consequences of using nuclear weapons are? For starters, you can forget living above ground for about a hundred years or so.
Our experience for the last 9 years in Iraq and Afghanistan proves that military adventurism gets us nothing. We've spent a trillion dollars and 6 thousand American lives and for what? The people in the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Pakistan hate us more than ever. Much of the civilized world mistrusts us. Oil prices are high and our military's readiness to defend our homeland, if it should ever actually come to that, is low. On this topic, the Republican the country should be listening to is Ron Paul, not the spineless corporate shill Mitt Romney.
Ummmmmm, so you're including Obama too right? ALL Presidents since I've been alive (late 70's) have been war mongers....I find it intersting that you left Obama out.
Well, he's sure not a pacifict and never claimed to be. But at least he actually tries to have legitimate reasons, and he hasn't started any major wars lately.
jock -
Then why was Obama awarded the Nobel "Peace" Prize?
He claimed that he wanted to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Instead he tried to talk Iraq into keeping an American presence - and was turned down based on the Bush agreements. Afghanistan has been intensified to the point that we are losing more servicemen and women than in the entire duration of the Bush years in less than half that time.
Face it, he's even more of a warmonger than Bush was. And much more inept as well when he ties the hands of our military, causing even more of our young people's blood to be spilled!
@Tammy: Obama had nothing to do with his winning the Nobel. That's a straw-man argument.
Afghanistan could probably have been finished before Obama took office, had Bush not redirected a massive chunk of our resources to an illegal war in Iraq...likely based upon his desire to finish the job that Daddy couldn't.
You know what happens when you ignore an active war-zone for too long? The enemy tends to regroup, fortify and gather strength. Sounds eerily similar to what happened in Afghanistan, don't you think?
Obama's not a war-monger, he is however, someone who feels that it's our responsibility to finish something we start. See: Getting Bin Laden.
He could have refused to accept it, so it is NOT a 'straw-man' argument at all. He campaigned on bringing peace by conversing with our 'enemies'. How has that worked out? Iran is still laughing at him, aren't they?
However, he sent people into Libya (and, yes, he did do this as my son was stationed on the ship that sent personnel to help to rescue the downed pilot/crew) against federal law as no war was declared by Congress. He said that the UN gave him the authorization, yet we do not answer to the UN, whether he wants to or not. We are a sovereign nation and he should have abided by our own laws. How many other African nations is he getting us involved in?
So, yes! Obama is very definitely a war-monger.
"Then why was Obama awarded the Nobel "Peace" Prize?"
I have no idea and neither does he.
"He could have refused to accept it,"
You wouldn't.
If you want a more pacifist president, don't vote for a Republican. Yes, Obama is tougher than we thought. As a liberal, that can be annoying. The conservatives should love it though, but they are too busy foaming at the mouth to notice.
Actually, I would have asked them what it was for and told them to keep it. But then, that's just me. At least I try to act ethically. We all know that politicians don't have any ethics.
Obama's far from the peaceful guy he claimed to be (remember him telling people how the Iraq War would end almost immediately?), but Romney's clearly worse. Ron Paul is still the only one that actually wants peace.
Every U.S citizen wants peace except the war machine profiteers. So Ron Paul has the silver bullet for world peace? Isn't that special.
Tammy-Obama got Osama-something Bush couldn't do in 8 years and Romney stated he wouldn't do because of cost.
Tammy and Jock do not know what WARMONGERING is. All they have to do is STUDY the bushcheney reign of terror in the run-up to their 2 misbegotten wars. Imagine what we could have done with all the money that was wasted. bushcheney, the gift that keeps on giving!!!
If someone with 200 million dollars wants a stronger military, he better be willing to use some of his own money. It's great to say we need to spend more on guns and then expect the middle class to pay for it while you give yourself a tax cut.
"What would China's motivation be to attack us when we owe them 4 trillion dollars"
Land, recourse's, and power. If China did attack America, they would want to make the American civilian population slaves. China just loves its workers... in high amounts.
" If Russia was going to attack us, they would have already."
Most of the people living in Russia live in cities. Americans live all over the USA. If Russia were to attack us, they would have to attack every square mile to achieve victory. If we attacked Russia, we would only have to attack Russian cities to achieve victory.
If you actually believe what you just stated, you clearly haven't been paying attention. China and the US are in a battle. But that battle is money. It is cheaper for them to buy us than to fight us. They are beating us at our own game. It was economics that took down the USSR, not bombs. China just saw our playbook.
And China, economically, would be devastated if we no longer bought their goods, or "our" goods due to outsourcing I should say. And as far as resources, they are buying up mines all over the world. We already used most of ours. If you don't believe me, look at where all the mines are. South America, Canada, and Africa.
Our military is many times superior to any other army on earth. We can reduce its size and spending and not give any of that up. But Mitt will keep playing the fear card when the facts don't support it. Unfortunately that's what people will hear and not the facts.
yep....lets increase the military and stop the ' entitlement ' programs.....like, CHIP, head start..........dont need those do we????? ( sarc )
Sounds good to me.
Sounds good to me as well! Especially as the military, in particular the Navy, is mandated by the Constitution of the United States - unlike entitlements!
Tammy-Americans paid into Social Security and Medicare their entire adult lives and are not being given anything. Your simplistic knee jerk reactionism is so out of date and short sighted. You are simple enough to believe AM radio talking points and to parrot them. When will you think for yourself?
No Revenues = Still No Sacrifice = That's Called 'Support' For The Troops = DeJa-Vu all over again!!
Now a decade and counting, told to go shopping, use patriotic meme's and symbols of support and wave them flags, added to the previous decades of under funding the VA, while the peoples reps Still try and lay blame on the Agency, after rubber stamping wars and costs of and those represented cheer on these wars!
While the wealthy and other investors garner their booty, still, from both and many have the chutz·pa to call themselves more patriotic{?} then others wrapped in those false flags, using false slogans and various cheap symbols of and then seek one day events or parades to wave all that patriotism, call it "Supporting the Troops", then go home and either ignore or forget about those that actually sacrificed for the country!
USN All Shore '67-'71 GMG3 Vietnam In Country '70-'71
So Mit is gonna keep the present military budget(war budget) ,drop the unemployment, tax the poor and old and middle MORE , DROP taxes for rich folks,drop loans for students or raise their interest, kill health care( which hasen't taken effect yet) cut spending and balance the budget. Wow, what a load of dung..
This wierdO is dumber and crazier than I imagined. He can't do anything without the house and senate and US putting him in office. Never did anything anyway except fire people and blood suck money off failing Companys.
hey mitt, pay attention. the u.s.a. is a third world country based on the infrastructure as rate by the america society of engineers. we had over 7 million people starve to death over the great depression. if you take away any more of the safety nets to give more to the military, you can probably beat that record. now that's something to be proud of.
Wasn't it the Republicans that wanted to outsource many of the services formerly provided to our service men and women by other soldiers? Aren't they the ones who had private contractors waiting in the wings to take over everything from cooking to construction? Doesn't Cheney's company have a lot of no-bid contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan?
The difference between having soldier cooks and civilian cooks are the soldier cooks are also trained soldiers. They may usually wield a spatula but they know how to wield a rifle as well. That was a huge part of reducing our armed forces.
No, that happened as a result of the down-sizing that was approved very early in the Clinton years - when democrats controlled Congress. Why else do you think that we have had to hire mercenaries? There are areas of the country that still haven't recovered from the base closures! Just look at Oscoda, MI for one example.
Tammy-you totally keep missing the points of reduced military spending and closing more cold war era bases. Complete waste of resources.
It's best to cut all entitlements and let's bring back the Reagan star-wars programs to spend billions and while were at it, let's follow the John Bolton guidance and attack Iran and stay their for 10 years and have tax cuts at the same time and then when the debt is even higher, let's have Rep.Paul Ryan come out and blame entitlements again!!! And attack Obama healthcare initiative that wants to cover 50 million uninsured Americans, why not??? Good ole Republicans in action!
Love it. Let's not leave out more of the Grover nonsense too. He is definitely looking for more signers to his rediculous plan to bankrupt and build our economy with no new taxes and reduction thereof. And Boner can cry us a river while he gives us details of it taking him 10 years to finish a history degree at a third rate academic institution while he gets richer off of the people. We cannot leave out the great governor of Ohio, Mr. Kasich and other republican governors on a mission to destroy their states and spend limited funds on their recall elections. Got to love the good old boys of the GOP. Very honorable old white men who are lost in today's society.
After a decade of very costly and senseless wars losing thousands of our troops, Romney would like to continue on with bloated military spending and new incentives to attack countries. What irritates me is that he says that we shouldn't want to provide our own people with "social causes" but spend that money on the military industrial complex and contractors. People should be outraged that these Repubs want to eliminate SS, Medicare, Medicaid, education and public services as we know them so that it will go directly into the pockets of the wealthy.
They love to stand with the troops, but aren't going to make sure that they're coming back home to good jobs and health care for their families.
well said, poet. Mitt Romney is digging his grave a little deeper with each passing day. His plan, or lack of plan, is to return to the policies of George W. Bush, which came within an eyelash of collapsing our economy. Voters haven't forgotten that and aren't going to return to them no matter how much they hate Barack Obama. Only the rwnj trolls and pests that litter these boards believe this guy has a chance. Come September, Obama will have nearly a double digit lead with all voting sectors except white males over 45. The guy is toast. LMAO.
Romney believes in America that is constantly at war..being a policeman of the world..yet he and his family have never experienced what our military families go through..he is willing to sacrifice other people's children to keep his family and way of life safe..there is something wrong with this picture..McCain was willing to be in Irag for the next 50 years...bomb Iran and Libya..now we are targeting Russia again..the Romans thought the same..keep the barbarians away from the city...in the meantime Rome burned...I wonder what an Eisenhower would make of this..he put an end to the Korean War..he believed in the American experiment as too important,,"a government of the people, by the people and for the people" to allow the military industrialist to run America..he did not believe in a government of the corporations, by the corporations and for the corporations..Obama/Biden 2012
Rmember, Romney still thinks we are fighting the Cold War. He can't move ahead. The US needs an enemy, and since we are conquering Al Queda, we need another enemy to arm agains. That does require a large army.
But we are not fighting a classic enemy, with a classics army, and the army is becoming more technologically savvy requiring less manpower. It is better to spend on technology fore more sophisticated warfare and to reduce casualities, than to keep the military large.
Frankly, we nor anyway can continue to donate so much of out GDP to Perceived military threats. We need to deal with reality. Romney needs to atop perching to the choir and actually lead.He can't do it.
Feisty, so true. Let's see Romney's boys join the service and fight a war -- NOT! But he's quick to "build" up the military. We have no enemies -- except the Soviet Union according to Romney.
Romney will do and say anything to get votes. He's pure 100% puppet. Think about it. He even looks like a puppet.
So your boy is what, some sort of clown, right?
@gewehrpatrone: well, to begin with, he's not a "boy" ...
The conservatives are starting with the scare tactics already?
It is self evident that Mitt Romney is a true patriot, and Obama?? Is he even an American?? Doesn't act like it.
Once we finally ditch the dog-eater, and elect a Real President, we can slowly begin to return to our rightful place of dominance in world affairs.
I laugh when people say "self evident"..it inevitably means "worthless biased self serving opinion". lol.
apparently "true patriot" = "likes war" in your mind, based on romney's comments about iran and such.
Obama is anti-American, pro-Muslim. liar, thief , murderer and traitor.
another 'self evident" opinion from bevvar. :)
"rightful place of dominance"? Tell you what there superstar, you go dominate the world, my lawn needs cutting. 58,000 of my colleagues lost their lives in Vietnam and today we not only do business with them, Americans visit the country and retire there. Joe you are just another jingoist, bragging how tough you are, with your shotgun rack and doublewide. You go fight, I did my part, as did my brother, father and grandfather.
Joe--Amen to tackandcover. Remember that Romney supported the Vietnam War, was of military age at the time, and sought and obtained a deferment so he could spend time in Paris. Frickin' Chickenhawk. Like tackandcover, many names on that Wall in Washington were buddies. You go, I've been.
Typical Libtard coments. If it wern't for the "Military Machine" you idiots would be speeking German or Japanese. Now you want your wife to dress in a Borka?
typical immature comment. "libtard"? lol. Your 12 year old friends must think you are a hoot. :)
Bob, ready to bring back the draft, or are you satisfied putting our forces through multiple tours? As for defeating the Nazis and the Japanese, Americans funded those wars with a 1944 top tax rate of 94% and invested their savings in seven different war bond sales. You and your ilk are objecting to any tax increase because if might lower your standard of living. Nice display of patriotism, son.
tell me bob what war did you fight in
What about you, Gary?
I served my country in the military - active duty - as did my husband, father, brother, father-in-law, and now my son.
Have you served? Or are you just shooting off your mouth?
Bob, you are an idiot. By the way, the word is "burka."