Unlikely allies seek military budget cuts

[unhappycamper]

Unlikely allies seek military budget cuts
By CAROLYN LOCHHEAD
WASHINGTON BUREAU
Feb. 12, 2011, 10:40PM

WASHINGTON — Astronomical deficits and tea party enthusiasm for debt reduction are producing hairline cracks in the GOP over defense spending — and an uneasy alliance between anti-war San Francisco liberals and small-government Texas conservatives.

U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, a liberal Democrat from California, and U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, a conservative Republican from Texas, both think defense spending needs to be restrained and the global mission of the U.S. military, including bases in Europe and Asia, re-examined.

"Until recently, defense was sacrosanct," including among Democrats, said Lee, who is trying to recruit tea party-backed members to her cause. "You couldn't get anyone, except for a few of us, to talk about cutting defense, regardless. Now I think there's an opening."

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The Pentagon also spends more than all domestic programs combined: highways, airports, law enforcement, education, energy, agriculture, national parks, research and everything else Congress funds each year. Add Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs, and the share rises above 60 percent.

Under President Barack Obama, military spending has grown as a share of the economy. The Pentagon is set to spend more than $6 trillion in 10 years. Even under Defense Secretary Robert Gates' plan to reduce spending by $78 billion over five years, the budget would continue to rise - but by a bit less.

[RedCloud]

1. Our military madness should NOT be rewarded with money thrown at it.