So, Obama is reeling in the troops this month, and now the Pentagon has decided to cut several (around 6,000!) homeland military jobs and close U.S. Joint Forces Command bases in an effort to show Congress that they are mindful of wasteful spending in hard economic times. While it is always a sad thing to hear that more Americans, military and civilian alike, are being tossed into the unemployment pile, I think it is probably a smart move. Reductions in flagrant spending have got to start somewhere if America ever wants to pull itself up out of the trenches of debt. I have got to say, U.S. troops have overstayed their welcome in almost every country they have gone to fight in (especially those they've gone to fight for, in the case of those countries who don't even want us there).
Why is it so important that our military keeps bases in Germany, South Korea, and Japan?? Are there even conflicts in those countries right now? More importantly, how do they involve us? Are we really concerned with keeping our allies feeling like we've got their backs? Or are we more concerned that they remain our friends, so we can continue to consider them an extension of our own defense team (everything's gotta be done bigger and better in America, right?)? Do we really need to have a naval fleet comparable to China's? They're almost 4 times as large as us in terms of citizenry! And who's fighting in the middle of the sea or attacking our shores? Do we really just keep pissing countries off so that we can turn around and beat them in an arm wrestling match?
A lot of questions, I know. But of the last one, I think the answer is "yes". I think we like to show off and intimidate, flex and release our guns, so we continue to spend monies we don't have in an effort to prove to other countries, that already know, that we are a world power. It is a very sophomore move if you ask me. While all the reading in the world may never explain this twisted phenomenon to me, and I may never have the answer to remedy all forms of wasteful spending, i do have quite an opinion on it...Imagine that.
Do you have 1.41 trillion that the U.S. can borrow? That was the budget gap at the end of fiscal year 2009, and it is steadily climbing. Even if I had 100 times that amount in my own account, and the U.S. asked to borrow it, I'm not too sure (okay, absolutely negatively doubtful) that I would lend it to them. I just can't imagine they would ever be able to get it back to me within my lifetime. And if it weren't about the repayment of the money (hey, I'm all about doing someone a solid now and then) I wouldn't do it because I can't trust that they would learn to spend their newfound funds wisely, and would be back in the same boat within 20 years.
What's most jarring to the viewing public, I'm sure, is the fact that even government jobs (positions highly sought after probably due to their great pay, staying power, and benefits) are being scrapped...stealing jobs and slimming national security to make America more fiscally sound...a conundrum in itself. I'm not really sure how we are going to put money back into the economy and smash steadily standing unemployment rates, but won't the recivilization of more than 200,000 individuals back into the daily American grind boost things noticeably? I mean, these people get to come back home, continue to grow their families, get paid to go to school, support their causes on a local level, pay their taxes, put the jobs and the need for growth right back where they belong. Won't it make some amount of difference for politically active and aware troops to come home and realize that what they've been fighting for was all worth it, and now they get to stand down and pursue the American dream themselves?
If unnecessarily overstaffed military positions and exorbitant costs of war are keeping 100's of billions of dollars from reaching depleted American pockets, shouldn't we all support the Pentagon's decision to reduce misappropriated funds and bring back our troops safely to fight their own battles? It won't solve everything, but it will be a very noble message to other departments that 2010 is just not the time to throw money to the wind. I now understand the famous question: "Why do senators make as much as some doctors and 4-5 times as much as our nation's teachers?"
Somebody said joshingly in a comment: "What are we gunna do with all these layed off officers? Have them staff the Obamacare doc-in-a-box clinics?" I see your challenging comment, sir. And I raise you an "It's a living. Why not?" War, turmoil, crisis, or the constant uncertainty that "you could be next" are not healthy ways to live.
No comments:
Post a Comment