Romney on spending: Guns triumph over butter

[Roaming East]

words

Wow, its almost as if the difference between Eisenhower and Romney is that Eisenhower had to deal with the very real threat of possible nuclear war with the Soviet Union and massive conventional warfare across multiple continents whereas Romney is pandering for votes against a nebulous enemy that may or may not exist but definitely requires we throw truckloads of money into a fire to combat it maybe.

[California Joe]

Wow, its almost as if the difference between Eisenhower and Romney is that Eisenhower had to deal with the very real threat of possible nuclear war with the Soviet Union and massive conventional warfare across multiple continents whereas Romney is pandering for votes against a nebulous enemy that may or may not exist but definitely requires we throw truckloads of money into a fire to combat it maybe.

He's right you know. I worked for the DoD for about 15 years. A lot of wasted money on stupid sh*t. If all of this dough went to ammo and better gear for the grunts, then hell yes. But as it is, there is a lot of funding for pet projects, and do not discount the lobbying efforts of former 3 and 4 stars that conveniently sit on the boards of defense contractors.

Romney is saying the same kind of ill informed, dopey sh*t, to pander to his audiences, that Obama did when he was running. It's easy, until you sit in the oval office. I firmly believe that Obama wanted to close Guantanamo, it is kind of an abortion within our laws and history, but when faced with the real options of turning loose people that want to kill us, it wasn't so easy. Reality is a bitch like that.

[Rattfink]

Sure it does. He was infuriated he was passed over for Commandant of the Marine Corps, then weeks later spews forth his diatribe. If he had ethics he wouldnt have waited until being passed over to spew his hatred.

Your post doesn't really address the point. His mood doesn't change facts, only his propensity to speak his mind.

[LineDoggie]

Your post doesn't really address the point. His mood doesn't change facts, only his propensity to speak his mind.

But he didnt speak his mind UNTIL he was passed over. IF he truly believed what he said he wouldnt have waited until retiring to spew forth his invective.

[shermbodius]

But he didnt speak his mind UNTIL he was passed over. IF he truly believed what he said he wouldnt have waited until retiring to spew forth his invective.

LD, it is called being a coward intellectually. Sad to see from a General but reality sucks.

[KoTeMoRe]

Really? you can't buy a car, truck, boat because those industries are on a war footing making military goods?

The Airlines cant get aircraft because of Military priorities?

Your food Rationed along with your fuel, shoes, clothing, because the MIC has priority?

On what planet?

What Airlines not having planes has to do with the MIC being overblown? Now if you really think 18th hole Ike or even Butler were dishonnest, then so must be whole of the US troops (or US politicians) that will come home after Afghanistan and will speak against the way the war was kept alive. The problem is that the MIC is not overblown because it has peculiar ways that contrast with the civilian market. The MIC operates in the same fashion (kicksbacks, loobying, disregard for the taxpayers money). Where I agree with you is that there is no need to worry, because the US being such a mammoth, it really cannot have a high standart of transparency. There will never never be an efficient Procurement or R/D chain. Nor will those little extras be cut (part of the job you know), but just like CJ said; people switch way too easily from the Military to the MIC. As they do from Private businness to Public Administration and then back to Private again.

[Roaming East]

He's right you know. I worked for the DoD for about 15 years. A lot of wasted money on stupid sh*t. If all of this dough went to ammo and better gear for the grunts, then hell yes. But as it is, there is a lot of funding for pet projects, and do not discount the lobbying efforts of former 3 and 4 stars that conveniently sit on the boards of defense contractors.

Romney is saying the same kind of ill informed, dopey sh*t, to pander to his audiences, that Obama did when he was running. It's easy, until you sit in the oval office. I firmly believe that Obama wanted to close Guantanamo, it is kind of an abortion within our laws and history, but when faced with the real options of turning loose people that want to kill us, it wasn't so easy. Reality is a bitch like that.

I agree, i also think Romney would not suffer for it if he said as much. If the man mounted a soapbox today and said he wanted to prioritize military spending so that Ships and F22's and huge military contracts are no longer prioritized over personnel training and basic gear and facilities i applaud him. But the reality of it is those kinds of speeches will never be made because when a politician says he wants to increase military spending, he is talking about helping defense contractors with big budget multi generational systems rather than low key things like base housing, better kit and other stuff Congress wouldnt give 2 shiats about.

[Rattfink]

But he didnt speak his mind UNTIL he was passed over. IF he truly believed what he said he wouldnt have waited until retiring to spew forth his invective.

I agree, the timing is not coincedental.
I disagree however that it means he didn't believe what he was saying. Hell, a sense of betrayal (justified or not) may have very well changed the way he felt about is career and his actions or been the tipping point in a longer slower change. Unfourtanately we are postulating the thought process of a dead man.

[IconOfEvi]

As I wanted to write before the forum had a hickup, if I were the US I would embark on a deliberate program to rebuild a civilian manufacturing base.
Not necessarily through government subsidies but rather deliberate choice of investors, improving of vocational training and engineering classes et cetera.
Out-China China, like some parts of the US South allready do.
This is the base of the broad pyramid on which a strong military rests.
You can't win a war with an IPad, especially not if the IPad is made in China.

We had a way to out China China, or back in the day, out Britain Britain

It was called tariffs

It is verbotten as far as modern hip economics and economists and industrial/multinational people are concerned

In essence, the de-industrialization of the US is a great example of how genius perceptions from experts is not the best course

Its a great example of what happens when theory (like unconditional free trade) meets reality

EDIT - uncle and his fam have a gas station. I see it first hand. You wouldn't believe what some customers try to do. And sadly, what IS legal to do. And for SURE, not even the ghettoest of the ghetto were starving...not when you can afford to buy multihundred dollar shoes and other superficial ****

EDIT - the Defense dept has been making the most drastic cuts out of all the federal departments. Its amazing, the one we can least afford to cut back on is spearheading the cutting. With the current rounds, we've already again slagged back on fields we were finally catching upto where we were supposed to be, like laser missile defense, etc.

[C.Puffs]

I agree, i also think Romney would not suffer for it if he said as much. If the man mounted a soapbox today and said he wanted to prioritize military spending so that Ships and F22's and huge military contracts are no longer prioritized over personnel training and basic gear and facilities i applaud him.

That's because you don't know WTF you're talking about. How long does it take to train a soldier or buy a gun? How long does it take to design and field an aircraft or ship? Furthermore, people like you whine and complain about lack of competition when it comes to things like developing fighters, and then you want to kill the companies who make the fvcking things so there can't be competition.