In no other time in the history of the United States has their ever been such a furor to cut and dismantle the defense industry. The proposals that are being considered that would leave this nation in serious jeopardy border on the too extreme. Granted there are inlays within the defense budget that need to be either trimmed or eliminated all together but with the pervasive attitude in Washington today that budget cuts at all costs will save America. This is a false assumption. There are many factors that have contributed to the United States current economic crisis. Many of which are continually overlooked by not only the Republicans but the Democrats as well.
For the past 40 years the population of the United States has increased by over 50 million people. The other more sobering figure is that within the past 40 years the American workforce has shed close to 60 million jobs. The majority of jobs that were lost consisted of middle class wages. In the past 50 years the only other time that the United States Federal budget almost equaled the tax revenue was from the 1950’s thru the middle of the 1970’s. From 1974 till 2011 the tax revenue that is designated for the Federal Budget kept evaporating. This is because the policies from the middle 1970’s encouraged corporate foreign investment rather than domestic investment. Consequently, the United States has all but lost it’s available tax revenue to keep the Federal Budget some what aligned with their expenditures, including the Defense Department’s own budget. The problem at hand is that the Government doesn’t have a spending problem. What has occurred by bad government is an income crisis all across this country. Compounding this dilemma is that the tax structure in place heavily favors the top 5% of the wealthiest individuals which puts the bulk of the burden on the rest of Americans that are still fortunate to be employed and just as importantly still own their own homes.
To explain the situation further details that our enormous annual budget deficit and the accumulated Federal debt are not the end result of the enormity of government and wild spending as so many Republicans are making everyone believe. Both are a direct result of unpaid expenditures due in most instances to the reduced levels of tax revenue coming in [ which by the way is a direct result of over 40 years of government sponsored policies that encouraged businesses to shed American jobs ] and for the money that was borrowed to pay interest on that borrowed money. In 2001 the United States under President Bush ushered in tax cuts for that top 5% of the population and reduced government oversight of the financial institutions and Wall Street which paved the way for the economic crisis that followed in 2008. The enormous economic toll financially pushed this nations debt even higher. Just so to advert a more financial catastrophe that would have unfolded if these financial institutions weren’t bailed out.
To secure our nations national security in a world filled with so much insecurity and turmoil whether we will face again another Pearl Harbor or a 9/11 the ability of the United States to respond is paramount to preserving this nation. What is needed now is to recognizet what is incurred in the current defense budget is to apply a policy of efficiency where any expenditures our dully recognized as prudent, cost effective, while maintaining the level of superiority that is so necessary for the success of our Armed Forces. As far back as 1792 President Washington realized that without a strong military our new nation would be not able to deal effectively with any national emergency. But, it took President Roosevelt to really put the United States on the international stage by again realizing that a strong military { remember that slogan Carry a Big Stick } is the greatest deterrent to any armed aggression. FDR again, realized that the United States had to win World War II and undertook what was necessary to have our military forces have all the available resources to ensure that the United States would end World War II successfully. President Reagan followed the lessons of his predecessors and made our Armed Forces the supreme military force in the world. It enable us to combat previous unchecked aggression any where in the world.
Today, with two armed aggressions occurring simultaneously amid a continued exodus of tax revenue for expenditures like our defense budget, to carry out the militaries missions only encourages more borrowing and increasing our debt. Or the other way is to cut the defense budget to the point that the success and winning the war on Terror and in Afghanistan won’t happen and cost many more Americans to loose their lives will be a lesson in futility. This is just the reason why the United States must have the resources to maintain the worlds most efficient and superior military. To be able to respond to any contingency anywhere, to fully back up the United Nations response to any aggression, to defend this country against any man induced terror and to respond to any natural catastrophe that could unfold at any time. The consequences of not having our military without the resources available for any and all contingencies is a recipe for disaster.
To actually achieve and regain our tax base is to inaugurate National Economic Reform. Ten Articles of Confederation that would generate the tax revenue by reforming those policies, mandates, and laws that originally caused such a mass exodus of American middle class jobs. Included is Infrastructure Redevelopment where a WPA type program focused to putting our young adults back in the work force. This age group has the highest unemployment rate across the country at over 25% is unacceptable for those who are 18-30. Another factor to consider is to reinstate the military draft for all able bodied men and women 18-25 to serve two years service for their country. The argument against a military draft is that enough men and women are joining the Armed Forces any way. That is true, but the real factor in this is that there are practically no other alternatives for employment outside of the military now and it has been this way for a very long time.
The sooner our illustrious conservative Republicans realize that problem today is not big obtrusive government but disingenuous policies and bad judgements the sooner this country can get back to work. Granted the Defense Department needs reform but not to the point that the effectiveness, efficiency, and superiority are compromised. To cave in to the rhetoric today by slashing defense so drastically will actually cause more harm, loose American lives, and actually cost the United States more. That is reason why National Economic Reform is vital for the stability and security of the United States.