The War Against Austerity
Massive military spending is back in vogue as the defense industry uses ISIS to shake off sequestration.
By Winslow T. Wheeler • November 5, 2014
http://www.theamericanconservative.com/...
Current U.S. spending for national defense is—quite literally—excessive, taking into account historic norms, contemporary threats and complete expenditure totals.
Anyone who calls current defense spending levels “austere” is either ignorant or misleading. To call the cuts “Draconian” is rhetorical hype amounting to pro-spending propaganda.
DOD routinely reports its low readiness to Congress; the Members’ response has been to use many accounts in the readiness-related Operation and Maintenance budget as a target for arbitrary reductions. Congress decries the plummeting readiness of our forces to justify adding money, but when it comes to spending that money to actually increase training tempos and eliminate backlogs of poorly maintained equipment, the needed money is not in Congress’ appropriations bills. Instead, most of it is fed into superfluous earmarks and hardware which Members generally deem more important and that generates thankful manufacturers amply expressing their appreciation with campaign contributions.
This large glut of monies to buy all these trinkets and not enough troops to use them or maintain them seems counter-intuitive.
It would have been nice if Wheeler encouraged a livable wage to the ground troops compared with the pay they are receiving right now. Many are on Food Stamps and other "poor benefits".