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Obama, Republicans Playing Game of Government Shutdown Chicken

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Fighting at least two wars and maintaining armed forces in several dozen countries is a huge drain If we ended the wars and got all our troops home to police our borders, we could slash the defence budget in half.

seekeronos 11:53AM March 16, 2011

To the blogger who states to cut the defense budget.. Really. Is this what you want. Let's cut the protection of the greatest country on the planet. You're insane. I believe in protecting our own country. But you still will need to fun our defenses. Wrong answer DeeToo. Go find CP3O!!!
CM Dee of Ohio

Christian DeSantis of OH 7:03AM March 16, 2011

There are a lot of good ideas for cutiing expenses out there. For remaining year budget, Sept., Democrats are willing at $$$ 10.5 billion, while we ask for $$$ 60 billion in cuts. If second extension passes as is, we would have cut $$$10 billion. Hard stuff a coming.
Next full year cuts is going to be a war. Election at hand...

Bill Hedges of MO 2:24AM March 16, 2011

You're right (and Right), Roff. Why, though, no mention of the big kahuna, National Security spending? Is it because you, too, are suckered into the necessity of very big bucks spent on it or we vaporize while not paying attention?
National Security accounts for $1 trillion in spending annually in the United States--more than is spent on it by the rest of the world combined. For a nation with the biggest debt in the world--and growing--we surely know how to splurge. Or do we, since it means cutting into areas and programs deemed necessary by a lot of people, means sacrificing on what many elsewhere find no need to sacrifice on, and means, as a result, playing the world's fool--footing the bill, with taxpayer dollars, so that others around the world don't have to. Well, we know there are many in influential positions here who see driving Jaguars and running the world's costliest foreign policy as status symbols, don't we?
I see the potential for $200 billion right off the top of that National Security budget, Roff, and you're talking a few billions, small ball by any standards? Time for a reality check, I'd say. Your play.

Ron W. Smith of UT 4:55PM March 15, 2011

56% of the taxes we pay go to pay for defense contractors, weapons, bombs and soldiers. HALF.
Social Security and Medicare have income streams that cover their expenses except a tiny sliver....and these are paid for by payroll deductions for insurance - They ARE NOT PAID FOR WITH OUR TAXES.
So, GOP/TP, quit trying to nickel and dime the poor, middle class working people, and seniors, and cut the biggest offender in the budget. Our budget was balanced in 1999. What has changed? Defense spending has doubled, and tax revenues have been cut by almost $500 billion/year....Thes two things alone make up $1 trillion of the budget....
No game of chicken here - just lots of unwillingness to admit the real contributor to budget woes is insane defense spending...
Ron Paul - a GOP guy - has said it many times. Stop both wars, bring our troops home from all over the world, and protect America from locations within America. The miilitary, AIPAC and big oil is running this country....Who has the moxie to stand up to it? We'll see....

DeeToo of SC 4:18PM March 15, 2011