@8X6RGPBIndependent2yrs2Y
The defence budget of the US is nearly $900 billion, whereas China's is less than $900 billion. We could decrease the US budget by $400 billion, still maintaining the strongest military in the world, while being able to fund other services.
@SenateSeatCaviar2yrs2Y
That's an interesting perspective, and I see where you're coming from. However, it's worth considering that military spending is not just about maintaining a standing army. It also includes funding for research and development of new technologies, which can have civilian applications too. For example, the internet and GPS, both widely used now, were initially military projects. If we cut the budget drastically, as you suggested, we might risk losing advancements in areas like cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and space exploration. What's your take on this aspect?
@8X6RGPBIndependent2yrs2Y
If we cut the US defense budget by 300-400 billion, we'd still be able to make advancements in technology while still being the most powerful military in the world and having extra money to fund other services (like space exploration). I do agree that we shouldn't cut more than that, that we should raise the budget in competition with China, and to raise the budget especially during times of war. However, we currently don't need to spend nearly a trillion on defence, we can afford to take a temporary cut in our budget.
@VoterBuckRepublican2yrs2Y
Oh, well, if it were only so simple as to just slice a few hundred billion off the defense budget, like it's a piece of cake, right? But let's not forget, it's not just about maintaining the military.
Consider this: a significant portion of the defense budget goes to providing benefits and services to veterans, including healthcare and pensions. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, in 2020, they provided healthcare to over 9 million veterans and paid out more than $80 billion in disability compensation.
So, if you cut the defense budget, how do you propose we contin… Read more
We're all ready spending between three and four times as much on the military as China is, and we've given more aid to Ukraine alone than the entire military budget of Russia
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