MICHIGAN — As part of a National Day of Action across the U.S., Michigan Citizen Action hosted a tele-press conference to demand an end to wasteful Pentagon spending and thank Senator Carl Levin for his leadership on this issue.
“Pull the Pork from the Pentagon: Protect our Priorities. Protect Our Middle Class” events are taking place in Michigan and in more than two dozen states across the country today. In Lansing, Michigan Citizen Action delivered over 3800 petition signatures to Senator Carl Levin thanking him for his leadership on this issue. For more information about events nationally, please visit www.pullthepork.org. Nationally, more than 100,000 USAction members have signed petitions demanding that Congress take action.
“Pull the Pork from the Pentagon,” the National Day of Action, is taking place as Congress faces a series of deadlines on our country’s budget priorities, including possible automatic spending cuts scheduled to take place beginning Friday.
“Senator Car Levin has been a leader from day one of this fiscal debate, calling for a balanced and sensible approach to our nations fiscal crisis,” said Linda Teeter, Executive Director of Michigan Citizen Action. “At issue today is not the size of government but rather who government works for – military contractor CEOs or working families and the middle class. We must recognize that strength and respect abroad are built, and based, on economic strength at home. And we cannot thrive if obsolete and unnecessary weapons systems are consuming our precious resources. Senator Carl Levin recognizes this and that is why today we are here to thank him and to call on Congress to follow his lead.”
Michigan Citizen Action noted that the heads of three of America’s largest military contractors earn a combined $74.4 million a year – the head of Northrop Gunman makes $26 million; the head of Lockheed Martin, $25.4 million; and the head of Boeing, $23 million.
The Tele-press conference also featured Joyce Gerhinger of the Huntington Woods Peace Citizenship and Education group.
According to this article, we need to pull even more money from the Defense Department, because heaven forbid any other aspect of federal government is forced to endure a tiny reduction in spending. Look at this chart, notice the piece of the pie in blue: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:U.S._Federal_Spending_-_FY_2011.png That's right, a whopping 19%. Defense is supposed to sacrifice more, so that the other 81% has to sacrifice less. This article is all about getting people frightened of having less government. It's about getting more fools more fired up for all the wrong reasons. Don't fall for it. Less government is how Ronald Reagan got America working in the 80s. It's time for more of that. Sincerely, Conservative Footsoldier Col.
I think there are some cost saving that could be realized. It just takes a little will power.
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2013/03/dumb-sequester-cuts-are-only-7-months
"U.S. taxpayers still spend billions of dollars a year to pay for luxuries that are out of reach for the ordinary American. The Pentagon, for example, runs a staggering 234 golf courses around the world, at a cost that is undisclosed. According to one retired lieutenant colonel in the Air Force, who also just happens to be the senior writer at Travel Golf, the very best military golf course in the U.S. is the Air Force Academy’s Eisenhower Blue Course in Colorado Springs, Colo. He writes, “This stunning 7,000-plus yard layout shares the same foothills terrain as does the legendary Broadmoor, just 20 minutes to the south in Colorado Springs." And the number of golf courses is often undercounted, with controversial courses in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Mosul, Iraq, often left off the lists, which makes assessing the total costs difficult. According to journalist Nick Turse, “The U.S. Army paid $71,614 [in 2004] to the Arizona Golf Resort — located in sunny Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,… The resort actually boasts an entire entertainment complex, complete with a water-slide-enhanced megapool, gym, bowling alley, horse stables, roller hockey rink, arcade, amphitheater, restaurant, and even a cappuccino bar — not to mention the golf course and a driving range.” DoD’s Sungnam golf course in the Republic of Korea, meanwhile, is reportedly valued at $26 million."
i believe it was Nixon who said: "its legal if the president does it". Where is the Supreme Cout on ethics? Busy talking to their investment counselors about their accounts in Switzerland, the Bahamas, and the Cayman Islands and no doubt invited to the same parties Romney attends. Yeah Obama is on the lobby take to. Its an American tradition it seems. Republicans are just the deans of this school.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reaganomics gg10 wants to go in the weeds rather than discuss the real issue. So typical...
"the devil is in the details..."
Pretty good summary of the true legacy of Reganomics. The devil is in the details...
Article I, Section 9, of the U.S. Constitution requires that Congress pass a federal budget. Yet the U.S. Congress hasn't passed a federal budget since April 29, 2009; instead, they've opted for a Continuing Resolution year after year since then to avert a US Government shutdown. Since April 29, 2009, which the was the last time the U.S. Congress passed a federal budget, the average U.S. Congressman, senators as well as representatives, has earned roughly $522,000.00 in annual minimum salaries. Yes, that's a half-million dollars. As a DoD Civilian, I haven't done one damned thing to earn a 20% furlough-induced pay cut. And I can assure you that I have not received a half-million dollars in pay since April 29, 2009. Yet the six-figure-a-year masterminds of the federal budget universe can go to bed each night safe in the knowledge that their pay will not be negatively impacted at all. Can you sense my anger?