Conservatives Ignore bloat and corruption at the Pentagon.

[georgephillip]

"In all the talk about the federal deficit, why is the single largest culprit left out of the conversation?

"Why is the one part of government that best epitomizes everything conservatives say they hate about government—- waste, incompetence, and corruption—all but exempt from conservative criticism?

"Of course, I’m talking about the Pentagon. Any serious battle plan to reduce the deficit must take on the Pentagon.

"In 2011 military spending accounted for more than 58 percent of all federal discretionary spending and even more if the interest on the federal debt that is related to military spending were added.

"In the last ten years we have spent more than $7.6 trillion on military and homeland security according to the National Priorities Project.

http://defendingthepublicgood.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/discretionary_spending_fy2011.png

Why do both parties give a pass to Pentagon corruption?
For the same reason there are no Wall Street bankers rotting in prison for their role in our Great Recession.

Socialize the cost.
Privatize the profit.
It's the money, Stupid.

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/07/12

 

[traveler52]

"In all the talk about the federal deficit, why is the single largest culprit left out of the conversation?

"Why is the one part of government that best epitomizes everything conservatives say they hate about government—- waste, incompetence, and corruption—all but exempt from conservative criticism?

"Of course, I’m talking about the Pentagon. Any serious battle plan to reduce the deficit must take on the Pentagon.

"In 2011 military spending accounted for more than 58 percent of all federal discretionary spending and even more if the interest on the federal debt that is related to military spending were added.

"In the last ten years we have spent more than $7.6 trillion on military and homeland security according to the National Priorities Project.

http://defendingthepublicgood.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/discretionary_spending_fy2011.png

Why do both parties give a pass to Pentagon corruption?
For the same reason there are no Wall Street bankers rotting in prison for their role in our Great Recession.

Socialize the cost.
Privatize the profit.
It's the money, Stupid.

Why is the Most Wasteful Government Agency Not Part of the Deficit Discussion? | Common Dreams

I wish I could I was surprised, but I'm not.

End the War(s) in Libya, Iraq and Pakistan.

Close One Third of U.S. Military Bases World Wide.

Cut Defense Spending down to pre-2001 levels.

That was have a strong, positive effect of the budget.

 

[georgephillip]

Dennis Kucinich says pretty much the same thing here:

"Take war.

"War takes the money from the American people and puts it into the hands of arms manufacturers, war profiteers, and private armies. The war in Iraq, based on lies: $3 trillion will be the cost of that war. The war in Afghanistan; based on a misreading of history; half a trillion dollars in expenses already. The war against Libya will be $1 billion by September.

"Fifty percent of our discretionary spending goes for the Pentagon. A massive transfer of wealth into the hands of a few while the American people lack sufficient jobs, health care, housing, retirement security."

Debt Political Theater Diverts Attention While Americans' Wealth Is Stolen | Common Dreams

Some of the monetary principles that are currently impoverishing Americans came into play centuries before the shot heard 'round the world was fired.

Kucinich again:

"We have to realize what this country's economy has become.

"Our monetary policy, through the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, privatized the money supply, gathers the wealth, puts it in the hands of the few while the Federal Reserve can create money out of nothing, give it to banks to park at the Fed while our small businesses are starving for capital."

Another set of problems that doesn't have a solution if you limit your "choice" in the voting booth to Democrat OR Republican, imho.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Why do both parties give a pass to Pentagon corruption?

Out of a fear of looking ‘weak’ on something – it was ‘communism,’ today it’s ‘terrorism.’ And once again much of the blame belongs to the voters, who convey that message that politicians need to make us ‘safe’ or else. So out of fear for their jobs, not concern for National security, they indulge the whore that is the Pentagon.

Add to that the undue influence of defense contractors and the myth that we can’t do without ‘military jobs,’ you’ve got the perfect recipe for separating the taxpayer from his money.

 

[georgephillip]

"Were the expense of war to be defrayed always by revenue raised within the year...wars would in general be more speedily concluded, and less wantonly undertaken. (Adam Smith)

I also suspect war could become an endangered specie if all war profits were taxed at 100% after the first innocent civilian's death.

Apparently millions of Americans are so fearful of the world their government has created they are willing to ignore blatant corruption among those charged with America's defense.

"In 1994, the Government Management Reform Act required the Inspector General of each federal agency to audit and publish the financial statements of their agency. The Department of Defense was the only agency that has been unable to comply.

"In fiscal 1998 the Department of Defense used $1.7 trillion of undocumentable adjustments to balance the books. In 2002 the situation was even worse. CBS News reported that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld admitted, 'we cannot track $2.3 trillion in transactions.'”

Why is the Most Wasteful Government Agency Not Part of the Deficit Discussion? | Common Dreams