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geek tragedy

(68,868 posts)
55. Pentagon spending, for one:
Fri Dec 21, 2012, 05:31 PM
Dec 2012
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/chuck-hagel-is-not-right-for-defense-secretary/2012/12/18/07e03e20-493c-11e2-ad54-580638ede391_story.html

Mr. Hagel’s stated positions on critical issues, ranging from defense spending to Iran, fall well to the left of those pursued by Mr. Obama during his first term — and place him near the fringe of the Senate that would be asked to confirm him.

The current secretary, Leon Panetta, has said the defense “sequester” cuts that Congress mandated to take effect Jan. 1 would have dire consequences for U.S. security. Mr. Hagel took a very different position when asked about Mr. Panetta’s comment during a September 2011 interview with the Financial Times. “The Defense Department, I think in many ways, has been bloated,” he responded. “So I think the Pentagon needs to be pared down.”

While both Republicans and Democrats accept that further cuts in defense may be inevitable, few have suggested that a reduction on the scale of the sequester is responsible. In congressional testimony delivered around the same time as Mr. Hagel’s interview, members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the sequester would lead to “a severe and irreversible impact on the Navy’s future,” “a Marine Corps that’s below the end strength to support even one major contingency” and “an unacceptable level of strategic and operational risk” for the Army.


Chuck Hagel apologizes for gay slur [View all] geek tragedy Dec 2012 OP
Too little oberle Dec 2012 #1
reaction from OutServe-SLDN director geek tragedy Dec 2012 #2
Good sign? Would you say that if Bush were the one about to nominate him to serve as Secretary of merrily Dec 2012 #3
It shows that the GLBT concerns were taken more seriously than the Netanyahu crowd's were. nt geek tragedy Dec 2012 #11
Hagel has not even been nominated yet. We don't know what Hagel will ultimately say about Israel. merrily Dec 2012 #35
Lots of campaign bundlers and donors not very happy with Hagel due to Israel concerns. geek tragedy Dec 2012 #39
BTW, you never answered my question. merrily Dec 2012 #37
Which one? nt geek tragedy Dec 2012 #38
I think he is a good choice, even tho a Repug elfin Dec 2012 #4
Funny how his growth on social issues did not manifest until he had his eyes on the Cabinet and merrily Dec 2012 #6
Yahbut, 14 years ago. elfin Dec 2012 #9
Cut slack here!?! Where are you going to cut slack?!? icymist Dec 2012 #14
He shouldn't get cut any slack--he should face tough questions geek tragedy Dec 2012 #15
What tough questions? merrily Dec 2012 #22
He recanted now because this is the first attention it's gotten in a long geek tragedy Dec 2012 #27
Yes, and what he did was object to having a gay man serve his country as ambassador. merrily Dec 2012 #32
He was reflecting the values of the people to whom he was accountable. geek tragedy Dec 2012 #34
No one says people don't grow. No one says people don't change parties, either. merrily Dec 2012 #36
Geithner changed his affiliation when he was in Clinton's Treasury department. nt geek tragedy Dec 2012 #40
Same difference. Just swap President's names. merrily Dec 2012 #58
I disagree. He reflected the values of some people. Every state has homophobes, even New York, merrily Dec 2012 #42
14 years ago was not 1950. And, again, he did not recant until he had a selfish motive. merrily Dec 2012 #19
Yep. Nt elfin Dec 2012 #28
and we have a winner! dlwickham Dec 2012 #18
If he did not want this nomination, I doubt he would be retracting it, even today. merrily Dec 2012 #20
I don't trust Hagel Joey Liberal Dec 2012 #5
You are not alone. I am here with you. merrily Dec 2012 #7
Do you trust him to do what Obama tells him to do? geek tragedy Dec 2012 #30
No and No. merrily Dec 2012 #43
No - he's a republican leftynyc Dec 2012 #45
He's better on some core issues than Panetta is. geek tragedy Dec 2012 #47
Really? What issues would those be? leftynyc Dec 2012 #52
Pentagon spending, for one: geek tragedy Dec 2012 #55
The President is playing right into leftynyc Dec 2012 #59
What Democrat out there would be willing to say that we need to cut geek tragedy Dec 2012 #61
Hagel didn't say it needed to leftynyc Dec 2012 #64
And to specifically answer your question on the leftynyc Dec 2012 #66
Would they want the job? Would they be willing to say "the Pentagon spends too much?" geek tragedy Dec 2012 #67
Hagel isn't a former republican leftynyc Dec 2012 #68
Bob Kerrey is a war criminal. nt geek tragedy Dec 2012 #73
How does Hagel's being a Republican give Hagel and Obama shift to the left on any issue? merrily Dec 2012 #56
Because Democrats are scared shitless to move left on defense/national security geek tragedy Dec 2012 #57
I know. I said Panetta was a Nixon Republican. And you are saying that Democrats can't be merrily Dec 2012 #60
Democrats who are unafraid to take Democratic stands on the issues would be great. geek tragedy Dec 2012 #62
Chuck Hagel JoeyT Dec 2012 #8
Anti-GLBT bigotry was sadly common back then. Paul Wellstone voted for DOMA only 2 years geek tragedy Dec 2012 #12
Back then? Are you kidding me? The 1990s were not the 1950s, for crying out loud. merrily Dec 2012 #23
Was I a homophobe 14 years ago? Probably to some degree, but certainly not to that geek tragedy Dec 2012 #29
First, my questions were not what makes him useful as Secretary of Defense. merrily Dec 2012 #48
Okay, how many Democrats with the right credentials are willing to go on the record: geek tragedy Dec 2012 #50
Well, that did not take long!!! mrdmk Dec 2012 #10
14 yrs ago, I was a religious, conservative bigot, thought gay people were sick, hellbound sinners. phleshdef Dec 2012 #13
I give him space for his social evolution. immoderate Dec 2012 #31
That doesn't bother me. He isn't hawkish. He believes the Pentagon needs cut down. phleshdef Dec 2012 #41
Well that explains where the real resistance comes from. immoderate Dec 2012 #51
Things you say freely, which Hagel does not say at all, even under current pressures: Bluenorthwest Dec 2012 #77
Oh? I wonder if he'll "support" the rights of GLBT soldiers to serve openly Maven Dec 2012 #16
And will he fight for leftynyc Dec 2012 #46
I figured he would. He seemed to really lose interest in the TwilightGardener Dec 2012 #17
Are you saying that he voted against DOMA? If not, which ban on gay marriage did he vote against? merrily Dec 2012 #24
I read about it yesterday--some vote on federal gay marriage ban TwilightGardener Dec 2012 #26
Not as good as it sounds on the surface. I googled. I did not spend a lot of time because merrily Dec 2012 #54
He's a conservative from Nebraska. His votes and his TwilightGardener Dec 2012 #63
This isn't about sainthood The Wizard Dec 2012 #21
False equivalency much? merrily Dec 2012 #25
Day late, dollar short. TheOther95Percent Dec 2012 #33
Why didn't you include what he said in your OP? UnrepentantLiberal Dec 2012 #44
Latest Breaking News forum rules limit the amount of a story you can quote geek tragedy Dec 2012 #49
I hadn't seen it. UnrepentantLiberal Dec 2012 #70
Gee, some anonymous person on the Internet is calling me a liar. geek tragedy Dec 2012 #72
I thought you were going to say UnrepentantLiberal Dec 2012 #75
I assumed it was an honest ommission, but I also posted the quote in the thread. Bluenorthwest Dec 2012 #78
Fair enough. No problem with additional context. nt geek tragedy Dec 2012 #80
World's tiniest violin playing the world's saddest song. Fearless Dec 2012 #53
a 'statement' is a start but not enough! A real press conference with in depth discussion is needed Sunlei Dec 2012 #65
Too bad Tammy Baldwin didn't get a Defense Committee slot. geek tragedy Dec 2012 #71
Washington Post is outraged with Hagel claiming he will push Obama far to the left on foreign policy Douglas Carpenter Dec 2012 #69
Hi! I'm a gay bashing bigot that wants to be Defense Secretary! Let me take care of a few odds and Safetykitten Dec 2012 #74
What Hagel said was not just a 'gay slur' it was a personalized attack on an individual using his Bluenorthwest Dec 2012 #76
Not gonna disagree with any of that. geek tragedy Dec 2012 #81
He still hasn't apologized to the People Who Matter Eric the Reddish Dec 2012 #79
Oh yeah, you got proof that President Obama didn't want Senator Cha Dec 2012 #83
How about nominating an openly gay Secretary of Defense? oberliner Dec 2012 #82
That is an awful thing to say.. shows pure Cha Dec 2012 #84
So far, the ambassador and Rachel Maddow agree with those who think Hagel's apology is insincere merrily Dec 2012 #85
I'll only support Hagel if he convinces my friends in the LGBT group here stevenleser Dec 2012 #86
good luck with that dlwickham Dec 2012 #88
I feel no burning need to support him stevenleser Dec 2012 #89
Still think there are plenty of better candidates out there. /nt Ash_F Dec 2012 #87
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