Barney Frank to Obama: Cut Military Spending
One of the most influential House liberals is leaning on the president to slash the Pentagon's budget.
Representative Barney Frank is one of the most powerful Democrats in the House of Representatives. As chairman of the Financial Services Committee, he's overseeing the spending of hundreds of billions of dollars to bailout Wall Street and stave off the mortgage crisis. The White House needs him, and he's been a dependable ally so far. Now he's leaning on President Barack Obama to cut the Pentagon budget.
On Tuesday, two days before Obama presents a proposed budget to Congress, Frank (D-Mass.) and other House Democrats called on the Obama administration to reduce military spending, setting up a potential clash between House liberals and the White House. At a White House summit on fiscal responsibility the day before, Obama had cast doubt on the future of an $11.2 billion project to upgrade the fleet of presidential helicopters. But Obama has shown no indication that he plans to reduce, or even freeze, overall defense spending, which will be around $650 billion this fiscal year.
-
A Smarter Military, Not a Bigger Arsenal
Cut missile defense and expand resources for the Army and National Guard.
-
Pentagon "Believes" It Has Accounted For "Most" of Its Private Security Contractors
-
Change the Pentagon Doesn't Believe In
President-elect Obama wants to slash wasteful military spending. To Pentagon bureaucrats, defense contractors, and congressional porkers, this means war.
Frank says that's a mistake. "To accomplish his goals of expanding health care and other important quality of life services without ballooning the deficit," Frank noted, Obama has no choice but to decrease military spending. He said that spending excessive amounts of money on the defense budget "precludes" the Obama administration from addressing other priorities: "If we do not get military spending under control, we will not be able to respond to important domestic needs."
Acknowledging that Obama does plan to save hundreds of billions of dollars by withdrawing from Iraq, Frank said the President must go further and take big whacks at big-ticket military projects. He pointed to programs like the Air Force's F-22 fighter, the Osprey troop transport, and missile defense as expensive, unnecessary Cold War-era boondoggles. He singled out missile defense in Eastern Europe as a particularly wasteful use of American taxpayers' money. "I will confess that I am not a regular reader of Iranian-issued fatwahs," Frank quipped. "And probably one of the ones I missed was the one where they threatened devastation against Prague. We plan to spend several billion dollars to protect the Czech Republic against Iran. That's either a great waste of money or a very belated way to make up for Munich."
Other House liberals, including Reps. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), and Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), joined Frank's call. They noted that having the influential and sharp-tongued Frank leading the effort would help them in the always-tough battle against Pentagon waste.
But don't look to Congress to reduce military spending on its own, Frank said: "Left entirely on our own, the Congress will not do the cuts in the military budget that ought to be there." Military spending cuts will only come, he said, if there's grassroots pressure for them.
Frank noted that in the Pentagon budget fight he's up against some heavy hitting Democrats—including Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) and Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), who chair the House and Senate Armed Services committees, respectively, and who "are not where I am" on military spending. Asked whether he could win over the Blue Dog Democrats and other "fiscally conservative" legislators who often oppose domestic spending but rarely complain about military expenditures, Frank flipped open his suit jacket, and asked, "Do you see a magic wand here?" He insisted that voters who live in the congressional districts of the members should "help us."
Presumably, Frank would like to see grassroots pressure also applied to Obama. He spared the White House any tongue-lashing. And, no doubt, he realizes that it will be an uphill battle to downsize the Pentagon significantly. He's not new to this struggle. For years, Frank has railed against excessive military spending. This time around, he has more clout then ever. Will he use it?
Page 1 of 1 
Gee, wish I'd thought of that.
Reduce defence spending and use the savings to directly improve the lives of Americans inside America? What a novel idea.
A new aircraft carrier costs between 9 and 11 Billion dollars to build. That's not even to mention the millions (billions?) for operation and maintenance every year.
How many wind turbines, or solar panels or seawater desalination plants could be purchased for that money?
Barney is Right
Our military does not keep us safe (witness its magnificent failure to protect the country on 9/11/2001) and its presence has led the country into a series of wars that waste our dwindling oil supplies and which wastes the lives of our young and poor.
Sadly, leaving Iraq will have no effect on the budget because the funding for both Iraq and Afghanistan have been handled off-budget. Leaving will help out our finances but ironically, not our budget.
Rebuilding our military from the losses of equipment it has suffered in Iraq will cost a trillion dollars we do not have and cannot afford to waste. It is time to consider whether we really need a military operations that costs us more than the rest of the world spends on its various military functions.
The military has become a sink-hole for the capital of this country and it is a sink-hole that we can no longer afford. We cannot afford to spend billions on weapons systems to fight the no longer existent enemies of the 20th century.
Cut Military Spending
Greet Idea, but unfortunately it won't happen anytime soon----Unless WE DEMAND OUR CONGRESS PEOPLE DO SO!!!
Yay.
Go Barney,
The defense contractors are raping America.
They have no loyalty and they make shoddy products to boot.
defense contractors
I happen to work for the DOD and we rebuild military equipment. We do not do shoddy work and we do it for a fraction of the cost of replacing the equipment. Cutting back of our funding would also effect the economy of four states because it would cause a huge job loss thereby causing retail and all other businesses to lose money.
for the best of usa
i lived in vietnam before u dont know how much and how many people are hated usa
the choice of the country make u can not help the whole world and when come to our problem no body help us asking more troop nato keep bouncing and some keep ignore the subject,
russia and china waiting for your time so they can climb up and be number one country
i rather usa be iran so no one can fuck with us, well too much debt and usa soon will buy by chinese dude they start buy house in usa and next thing they will buy the whole country it already happen
white house and pentagon need to wake up, do you you why mana base closed that the key to get us troop die and there will be more to die this year,
u got make some choice and let option in the country but u do need smart machine to kill enemy,
iran already sent their missile test and korea this week u knew bush made so many country hated us and they will kill us just like sept 11 so pray for our citizen and god help us,,,,,,,,,
u either kill them now or you will be sorry later look at economy right now china and russia are enjoyed see our country fall like this
they fucking with us i would never trust a chinese guy and i dont friend with russian dude
and you got to becareful a man with blue turban,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
so becare careful usa citizen
Defense contractors plan on bleeding us dry in life and treasure
I don't see Obama or any other top Democrat leading the charge against this incredibly powerful parasite. They, like Wall Street, are hellbent on looting our democracy.
I wish to God Obama proves me horribly wrong. We need universal health care (we can't afford not to gun for single payer), nationalization of the banks, to protect Social Security from "reform," a foreclosure bailout that works for the homeowner (lower premiums, please), and a stimulus plan that actually is big enough to deal with the crisis we're in (hint: $787 B is not equal to $2 T plus).
If we don't devise and
If we don't devise and manfature all those new fangled weapons who will?
What the world needs is lots and lots of those kill things and specially those which roam about and kill anything at the push of a button by a boared and maybe drunk tender lounging in Nevada.
Nail on the head
Hooray for Mr. Frank--he seems to have hit the nail on the head--instead of letting Congress "pork up" the Pentagon budget, we should be buying what the troops really need rather than obsolete weapons systems to fight the last war and that line the pockets of the Defense contractors CEO's and increase the "bribes" in the form of donations to political campaigns.
Frank wants what, a 10 percent decrease in miltary spending?
-
tagged as:
- result
The defense budget can EASILY stand a 10% decrease in spending. Do the numbers, or for an illustrated easy to watch and easy to understand video, do a web search on "Ben and Jerry's Oreo video". (Prepare to be shocked).
Who needs Barney Franks?
"If we do not get military spending under control, we will not be able to respond to important domestic needs."
Translation: "If we do not get military spending under control, we will not be able to go out of control on domestic spending"
Why not just a call to cut waste and correct book keeping? Why a call for deep cuts in time of war? Unfortunately, this country is run by the left and right extremists who's idealism trumps what is best for America. Most Americans I know support a strong defense. Barney Franks chaired over the greatest economic crisis in our history. Why in heck does he still have a job?
What is wrong with missile defense? With more and more unfriendly and unstable countries aquiring nuclear and missile technology it seems like a good plan. Why wait till it's too late? That is the right way to plan for a defense expense rather than shotgun it through last minute. If you are one of those soldiers, sailors, airmen or marines who depend on technological advances to improve their survival chances while protecting your sorry buttocks then you might see things in a different light.
Americans can never see past the end of their nose when it comes to preparing themselves for the next inevitable conflict.
cut defense spending
-
tagged as:
- solution
I think we should cut military spending alltogether and buy everyone in america a home and Free welfare checks for every black woman with 29 kids, Oh wait we do that already. Then with no militarry we can just hope everyone else is nice to us!!!!! Yeah I love stupidity.
BF
I agree with the last two posts. I do not see how Barney Frank has a job, he was supposed to be the oversight. He should be convicted.
military spending
-
tagged as:
- solution
i dont think they should cut military spending bc my husband works at a plant where they get paid by military along w/7,000 people to build things heli's & planes for the military and if obama cuts spending my husband along w/7000 others and other plants that help w/the diffrent parts to aerospace they will lose there jobs & we & 7000 other people all over would be outa work.
I weep for
I weep for America........the way we're heading, we will be attacked again very soon. Russian is modernizing its military, increasing spending, China has created a missile that can destroy a US destroyer in one hit. North Korea has launched a missile that is capable of reaching Alaska. I'm sorry for this nation. B. Frank says- why the missile defense in Prague? what about the billions they approved to AIG and AIG siphoned some to European banks, is that better? Cut defense huh? so that money can be diverted to the socialist cause? Most countries don't fear us anymore. There is no hope for this nation! It is time for a new world leader has history has rightly shown!
Spending
I think we need to get military spending under control. If something major, like a major national security issue were to happen, we will be in a bit of trouble with spending going over the top.
I wonder what Murtha thinks
I wonder what Murtha thinks of that ...
A study last yearnike tn,
A study last yearnike tn, the author in the essay read NIKE , a reporter at the Shanghai headquarters in an interview, nike chaussuressee a pr in high school to read a league plans, employees interviewed told reporters in Beijing's streets, they children to interview, the children said, "truly understand them." tn chaussures These words, if the author touches product function, brand spirit and culture is to become part of the consumer of two basic methods
There are spyder jackets 10
There are spyder jackets 10 pcs of excellent Ralph Lauren multi-colored stripe big pony cheap columbia jackets. These products are more soft and comfortable for being made of breathable and durable mesh cotton .cheap polo shirtsthere are lots of colors and sizes for your choice, just pick up one you like ,it is absolutely value for money.
Lacoste Polo Shirts, ralph
Lacoste Polo Shirts, ralph Lauren polo shirts , Burberry Polo Shirts.wholesale Lacoste polo shirts and polo ralph laurenwith great price. clothingol.com offers lot of 10 lacoste polo shirts and lot of 20 cheap polo shirts. clothingol.com offers classic fit polo shirts. polo clothing
Bon March¨¦ Chaussure
Bon March¨¦ Chaussure PumaChaussure Sports Shop:baskets pumaChaussure Puma Femme,Chaussure Puma Homme,Chaussure Nike Femme,Chaussure Nike homme,nike shoxChaussure Sport et plus. Livraison Rapide.
