Super committee to drop one "trigger"?
 

Congress works to avert defense budget cuts - chicagotribune.com

Well, those automatic "triggers" sure took the heat off congress for the time.http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/26/us-usa-debt-supercommittee-democrats-idUSTRE79P5AR20111026

I'm in the military and I believe there's quite a bit that could be cut without significantly affecting our warfighting ability. Of course there are some other areas where even a small cut would be bad for our capabilities.

Skippy,
I'm not in the military, but I suspect you are correct. I would bet that ALL federal, and most state budgets are more about ego over how much money the Dept head gets to control than the real expenses involved. I have done enough management that I know that cutting a budget can always be done. It does take a forceful person at the top who really wants the cuts. If I was in charge, I'd demand a percent cut ( maybe 10% as a start) across the board with the provision that the cut must not affect the public. This is necessary because politicians always make the first cuts painful to the populace--close Parks, and Fire Stations, and reduce police.
I'd demand that there be no impact to the public, and give 3 months to get it done. If they failed, I'd accept that as their resignation, and appoint another Dept Head and give that person the same mission.
It can be done.

Yes, the military like ALL government organizations could be run much more efficiently. Where the DOD differs from things like departments of education, EPA and several others is that the military is necessary. A NUMBER of departments could be just closed down and it would not only free up money in the budget, but would also remove restrictions on business in areas where the government has no business sticking their nose anyway.

You can bet, though, that the Super Committee will not only cut only a token amount, but it will be in areas that shouldn't be cut.

The Super Committee is an AWFUL idea. Instead of the congress and president who were elected by the people in order to supposedly represent the people equally, 12 people will make all these decisions? It's nuts.

The current elected officials, regardless of party are a bunch of self centered beaureaucrats, but at LEAST they were elected by the people by district, state and so forth. The Super Committee was not chosen that way. It's a scam that was constructed in order to try to keep the elected officials clean and not having to lay claim to a budget cut.

Google> Major General Smedley Butler U.S.M.C.

(Not sure if this link is still active)> www.ratical.org/ratville/cah/warisaracket.pdf

The link does not work. Can you summarize?

Butler is on wikilinks. His short narrative 'War is Hell', is extremely enlightening. I believe you can google him there.
Its 20 minutes of reading that I feel is well spent.
Let me know if you find him.

I just looked him up, actually it is a speech Butler delivered in 1933. Scroll down to 'War is a racket' speech.

Larry, perhaps you can post a link that works?

What? Is he another Colonel Hackworth?

Major General Smedley Butler USMC

Short version: After 33 years in the Marine Corps and two Medals of Honor (one of only two Marines to be so awarded), he retired and became a pacifist. His position was basically that war is big business and that the military is used to enhance U.S. commercial interests.

I don't completely disagree. The chief difference is that Butler thought there was something wrong with that and I don't.

Now that the war in Iraq is over the DOD should get a cut.

How about we slash the Department of Homeland Security right out?

I never thought the DHS was a good idea. We already have a department for defending the homeland. It's called the DoD.

No its an exceptionally poor idea, plus in the wrong hands it can be turned into something truly evil.


They are not military yet they are, not much of a jump to a KGB/secret military police group.

We need to get rid of them. I'm surprised the military isn't more pissed and trying to absorb or de-fund them.

Nice link. Larry would you be kind enough to state your observations of General Butler, and his views.

Very valid point!