John R. Carroll wrote:
Wes wrote:
"John R. Carroll" wrote:

You could easily, for instance, whack $100 billion a year from
defense spending without reducing readiness or otherwise impeding
our global national security posture. That would, however, require
the American public to grow a pair and stop being afraid of their
own shadow. That isn't practical with all of the hype from every
possible direction so it will require that our politicians display a
little courage, possibly by falling on their own swords for the
greater good.
Even when DOD tries to cut spending, congress critters put it back in.

Consider the C-130.

http://lobby.la.psu.edu/_107th/092_C...ary_c_130.html


The C-17 is another example. That program had been shut down every year or
two since 1999.
Gates and Obama finally pulled the plug a few months ago.
The comment I originally made, and which you excluded, was entirely
appropriate.
The only reason these programs are continued is that they get votes.

That's the "Bringing Home the bacon" or Pork Barrel Spending, depending
on whether it means jobs in your state or another.

these days you can't even build in airplane at one factory. You have to
parcel it out to 15 companies in as many states to spread out the pork.