Monday’s foreign policy debate between Obama and Romney was perhaps most memorable for the sharp exchanges the candidates traded on military spending. This year the U.S. will spend almost $700 billion on military expenditures (more than the next 13 countries combined). Mr. Romney often cites the statistic that the U.S. Navy now has fewer ships than it did in 1917. President Obama accused Mr. Romney of not understanding the needs of the modern U.S. military by claiming the military budget no longer needs “horses and bayonets.” Three days later Mr. Romney responded with a radio ad claiming “the state of our Navy, the state of our entire U.S. military is crucial for America.”
We took a closer look at each candidate’s position on future military spending:
Barack Obama: His “budget would not reduce military spending but maintain it.”
Mitt Romney: "We're going to cut about 5 percent of the discretionary budget, excluding military."
Gary Johnson: “US military spending is more than that of every other country combined... Defense spending must be subject to the same scrutiny as other areas of the budget.”
Jill Stein: “The numbers don’t add up. We can’t keep spending on this bloated military industrial security complex without paying the price here at home.”
Rocky Anderson: “Corruption of our military industrial complex, tax money that goes to military contractors, who are often little more than bloated pork barrels.”
Virgil Goode: “Part of the cuts have to be in the Department of Defense. We cannot do, as Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan suggest, increased military funding by $2 trillion over the next decade.”
Where do you side on military spending?
NO............NO..............No.............Hell No........twick it where neccessary....but never decrease it.
Susan Floren Rutherford
We need to right size the military for potential threats. This not necessarily mean we need MORE tools in the tool box, but the best ones, besides we have enough tools in Congress.
Karl Cordova
How do you know which tools are needed? Congress tells us based upon the jobs in their districts. This is how it has always been and how it will always be. Don't count on anything changing soon.
Michael Duran
Without our military staying strong in number and defense, our nation will become weak and vulnerable.
Patty Hundley
We have the best equiped and trained military on the planet, Patty. We don't need to waste money on programs and equipment that even the military considers unnecessary. That is where the cuts will come from. They won't have any effect on our ability to defend our country or support our interests overseas. Speaking as a veteran, Ifully support the military. What I don't support is spendingtrillions of the taxpayers dollars on unneeded and unwanted weapons systems.
Chuck Johnston
I think Gary Johnson's got it right on this question. As the budget is considered, and cuts assessed, there can be no sacred cows.
Gregg Gerlach
It all started with the war that Bush got us into.He sent troops to the wrong country.Irac when they should have gone to Iran and Aafghanistan.Obama has brought many military back home from Irac.That will help with the savings of money to use elsewhere.Romney will send more.We don't use ships now for Aircraft carriers.Dah.
Rita McDaniel Moore
With all the other waste why bring that up right now
Irene McNish
Because that's the largest amount of money wasted; and is the vehicle that tyrannies impose against children to justify murder. That is of course is followed by what we saw by the empires collapse; last being the Soviet Union for deverting their economic capacity for destruction? They were worries about "power"; which destroyed itself. How is repeating their pathway suddenly not relevant?
Brian Salvatore
Do not increase it but do not cut it either.
James Rockhold
Military is NOT asking for $$$..When I was in the Service you would not believe the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ that was spent on stupid sh_t!!
Missy McClary
Woodrow Wilson was known for saying that in time of peace prepare for war. We need to spend whatever it takes to keep us safe. Highest priority!
Peter H. Burgess
especially since Jesus said, " pick up your weapons and follow me .... "
Richard Hench
" Peace is the quiet moment when two enemies stand around reloading" ~Thomas Jefferson~
Lewis Grace
“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of iron.” ― Dwight D. Eisenhower
Vicki Orahood Wilcox
WE CANNOT PLAY GOD, BUT WE CAN MAINTAIN A STRONG MILITARY WITH THE PRESENT BUDGET AND PROTECT OUR SHORES. WE DO NOT NEED TO BE THE WORLD'S PEACE KEEPERS. WE ALSO CAN'T KEEP TRYING TO FEED THE WORLD AND HAVE THEM USE THE AID MONEY FOR WAR INSTEAD OF DEVELOPEMENT.
Thomas Reeder
Amen to that, Thomas!
Chuck Johnston
Cut down on "wasteful" military spending. Keep our military strong by taking the money away from corrupt military contractors and putting it where it belongs. Including support and pay raises for military personnel and benefits for the veterans who have already proven their loyalty for this country. There are too many examples of run-away defense spending for me to site them all. But every single one of you knows that a whole lot of that money is NOT going where it's supposed to.
Lewis Grace
Right on, Lewis!
Chuck Johnston
very well said now how do we do it
Sarge Froehle
"A problem can not be solved using the same mentality that created it." Replacing the current two party system would be a good place to start. We need new leadership that hasn't been corrupted by corporate special interests. If the Libertarian party where to receive only 5% of the vote they would become a viable alternative to the current choices we are currently presented with. Think about it.
Lewis Grace
Amen!
Jamie Pride
funding the Military industrial complex is not funding the MILITARY.
Sarge Froehle
it is what IKE warned us about way back in the 1950s.
Sarge Froehle
We need the republican party to get back to the values that President Eisenhower and the G.O.P. used to represent. I don't recognize this version.
Chuck Johnston
@Chuck Johnston I somewhat agree. Unfortunately, the republican party has been bought and paid for by corporate special interests. The glory days are gone. The Grand Old Party auctioned off to the highest bidder. The same goes for the Democratic party. The only solution, that I can see, is to replace them with an independent party that has not yet been compromised by corporate sponsorship. The trick will be to get the 65% of Americans, who have given up on voting, to get off their couches and to the voting booth. It's time to quit playing the bi-partisan game. We must return to two basic rules of American leadership. POWER is GIVEN and CONTROL is TAKEN. It's time for Americans to take control of our government by giving the power of office to candidates who represent THE PEOPLE and not the corporate sponsor.
Lewis Grace
True, Lewis, I too believe that the Republicans have sold out for the money, Why else would they support Romney and spend billions on this election to win. They don't have a leg to stand on so out spend every one. A preview of what is to come if they are elected. Spend, spend and more spend.
Cynthia Massheimer
Lewis Grace; I'm frustrated with the democrats and repulsed by the republicans. I'm tired of having to chose between bad and worse. I just don't see any thing changing in my life time though. I really wish it would. I'm sick of this cfap.
Chuck Johnston
Quote from Ike: “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of iron.” ― Dwight D. Eisenhower
Vicki Orahood Wilcox
remember the Soviet Union went bankrupt trying to keep up with us, and now we are committing financial sucicide.
Billy Sams
I remember seeing Osama Bin Laden on a taped message telling exactly his plan. He bled the Soviets dry in Afghanistan, and he planed on doing the same thing to the US there and around the globe to bring us to our knees over many, many years....not by traditional methods. He was actually laughing at us that we are so stupid to be following the exact same path as the Soviets. I vote for swarms of drones with an army of video gamer guys here, comfortably protected, with a lifetime supply of hot cheetos as part of their compensation package. How can anyone beat us with that plan? We have the best gamers in the world I am sure.
David Gladysz
Why allow anyone to supersede the bill of rights and become judge; jury; and executioner to take place during funerals and weddings? Why murder at all? How would that not increase incentives for terrorism itself?
Brian Salvatore
It's just grown boys playing with their toys! A strong military is a whole different creature when you are facing single person and cyber terrorists. Get with the current program!
Sharon Kinden
NONBHN!
Dale V. Franz
Obviously the rational voices in the election aren't the ones that are being heard. It seems that all the third party candidates know the score - not only libertarians like Johnson and Ron Paul but the greens as well.
Travis Jones
But Obama brought back our military to NO J-O-B-S, the mans a douche!
Rich Martinez
Okay, we spend way more than anyone else. How about we just keep all the nuclear missiles that make us scary and reduce spending enough to keep us still the scariest people there?
Gibryon Cloud-boy Bhojraj
I'd go with that!
Chuck Johnston
Ditto.
Lewis Grace
Romney appears to be the only candidate that thinks the defense budget should be off the table in terms of cuts. I agree with all the rest of the candidates - defense spending needs to be on the table and looked at very carefully.
Brad Jennings
Why is there no mention that Obama wants to reduce our nuclear stockpile?
Tony Orefice
I think that is a great place to start. We still have enough nukes to blow everybody up about 10 to 15 times. We could easily cut that in half and use the money saved in maintenance costs to rebuild a couple thousand schools. Heck, we could give the military people that this would free up jobs doing the work. Kill two birds with one stone! But wait just a minute... this makes sense so IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN!! That's sad.
Chuck Johnston
Reducing the nuclear stockpile is a GOOD thing... we have way more than we could ever even use... come on!
Linda Rucano
at this time yes...but just how low does he want to take it???
Tony Orefice
yes it needs to be cut
Michael Dwain Perkins Jr.
Cut off your nose to spite you face! A well respected country is one with a strong enconomy and a strong military and the desire to better everyone.
George Clark
Strong economy and a strong military- A disrespected country has the strongest military on the planet and an economy that goes to crap because of its use.
James Fuller
w cut spending on miltary we cut our own throats and obama knows it another step to his world.
Howard Loughry
"His world" do you mean where we still have the strongest military in the world but we stop going to war for stupid things?
James Fuller
The Dept of Defence spends more money than every nation in Europe, combined. Who are we looking to fight next? I agree we need to be prepared. Why can't we do it intelligently? Think of the education we could give our kids with that money, the universal health care we could all get, and most importantly the upgrading of our ageing infrastructure(That's airports, railways, roads, bridges etc). We need to take that money and invest it into something useful, like life, not death.
Cleveland Davis
Everything in moderation as the Buddha says.
Frank Cheng