I can't wait to read the headline on Wednesday: Supercommittee fails to agree on spending cuts, Congressional leaders form ultracommittee of a D, an R, and a wild cougar to reach consensus

Ric Romero, reporting.

At least when the Army is dissolved, we will still have a well-armed militia.

This country is insane. Stop the ride I want off.

I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further.

So the government CAN create jobs? Good to know.

mrshowrules: Without this:

[media.defenseindustrydaily.com image 640x511]

How will you fight this?:

[www.thejakartaglobe.com image 315x208]



/no, not serious
//save your jpegs

Don't want "devastating" cuts to occur? Then COME UP WITH A GODDAMN AGREEMENTS, YOU WORTHLESS PIECES OF SHIAT.

I, for one, don't feel safe merely spending more on the military than the rest of the world combined spends on defense. I think we should spend more on the military than the rest of the world combined spends on everything.

What, the Bush tax cuts could potentially expire? Oh noes...

Uh, it isn't just Republicans saying the defense cuts will be devastating.

Not sure why they didn't quote Leon Panetta. Who's saying the same thing. Who was appointed by the President and all. Oh, and the current SECDEF is usually really good at cutting budgets.

Enjoy your pre-WW2 sized military though. We were able to do lots with it.

It would be totally devastating. How would we defend ourselves from all of those countries we attack?

skullkrusher: Ric Romero, reporting.

Take money from the Manning brothers' contracts and give it to our treasury. A good start for a couple of wastes.

mrshowrules: Without this:

[media.defenseindustrydaily.com image 640x511]

How will you fight this?:

[www.thejakartaglobe.com image 315x208]

with THIS:

Hollie Maea: Don't want "devastating" cuts to occur? Then COME UP WITH A GODDAMN AGREEMENTS, YOU WORTHLESS PIECES OF SHIAT.

If only they'd known what would happen if they didn't reach an agreement!

Spade: Uh, it isn't just Republicans saying the defense cuts will be devastating.

Not sure why they didn't quote Leon Panetta. Who's saying the same thing. Who was appointed by the President and all. Oh, and the current SECDEF is usually really good at cutting budgets.

Enjoy your pre-WW2 sized military though. We were able to do lots with it.

Wut? Not sure if serious.

GAT_00: Don't worry, there's still a bit of time for the Dems to give in and fark us all over.

Sadly true. Hopefully, as E.J. Dionne noted a few days ago (pops) Congress will fail to act. The benefits of a do-nothing Congress would be terrific.

I'm OK with this. Let the devastation begin.

SchlingFocker: Social spending benefits middle- and lower-class Americans who don't have well-funded lobbying groups and don't get face time with politicians.

This talking point brought to you by the letters A, R and P.

Spade: Uh, it isn't just Republicans saying the defense cuts will be devastating.

Not sure why they didn't quote Leon Panetta. Who's saying the same thing. Who was appointed by the President and all. Oh, and the current SECDEF is usually really good at cutting budgets.

Enjoy your pre-WW2 sized military though. We were able to do lots with it.

What, exactly, do you want to do with the military?

Note: To those that say "Good, then the Bush tax cuts get rolled back." Technically the Bush tax cuts are in no way affected by this, though it certainly does increase the chance of it happening. Officially the tax cuts will expire at the end of 2012, so depending who wins the 2012 elections could very well see them renewed again.

Spade: Not sure why they didn't quote Leon Panetta. Who's saying the same thing. Who was appointed by the President and all. Oh, and the current SECDEF is usually really good at cutting budgets.

Yeah because an admin who doubles down on an idiotic ground campaign in Afghanistan is not a slave to the military industrial complex.

vernonFL: Maybe if we cut military funding we could start less wars and decades long occupations in faraway lands for no good reason?

No. Because they will either inflate the budget or keep it off the books any time "WE HAVE TO GO TO WAR", or, "WE HAVE TO FINISH DADDY'S WARS", or "WE HAVE TO FIGHT AN AGRESSOR THAT WASN'T THERE UNTIL WE WENT THERE". Minimizing the budget now has no bearing on any future wars some right-wing dickbag will want us to get mired in.

SchlingFocker: keylock71: If we slashed our Defense budget in half, we would still have the most powerful military in the world...

But, sure, let's put all the financial burden for the recovery on the most vulnerable Americans.

There's big money to be made for large corporations in defense spending; these corporations have well-funded lobbying groups that get lots of face time with politicians.

Social spending benefits middle- and lower-class Americans who don't have well-funded lobbying groups and don't get face time with politicians.

Defense spending will win out every time.

But, corporations are people, too. Who do you think it is who machines those parts, and assembles those weapons?

You don't expect a One Percenter to get grease under those manicured nails, do you?

Cut defense spending, and those middle class jobs will disappear.

And what good is Social Security and Medicare, if you are killed by one of those literally billions of bloodthirsty terrorists who are fanatically devoted to the destruction of America's freedoms, our God-given capitalist economy, and every single American man, woman, baby, puppy, and kitty cat? The only thing protecting you from those animals are our heroes in uniform, armed with the best technology in the world, which is provided by America's patriotic defense industry.

The real reason Republicans won't touch the military budget except to raise it? Most of the budget goes to red states. They are afraid of being kicked out of office. Which may happen anyway as 73% of Republicans support tax increases on the rich now despite what the leaders want.

What the hell does all that money get spent on anyways? Is the military still living the high life of $10k folding chairs and $90 paper clips? Do they end up paying $20 a gallon for gas or something?

They certainly ain't spending it on veterans needs. Oh, and what ever happened with the whole auditing the Pentagon that was suppose to happen when Obama took office? Oh right, Republicans.

Can anyone of the Republican persuasion please explain one thing to me?

You oppose universal healthcare, spending on schools and expansion of the social safety because the government is getting too big and powerful and costly to run and tyrrany will be the result if the machine isn't stopped.

But you DEMAND that the military be left to grow even though it also consumes vast amounts of funds and despite the fact that said military would in fact be the very organ by which an out-of-control government would exert the tyrrany you fear.

Or do you guys think you'll get Red-dawned by waves of ninja-trained socialist, intellectual, registered nurses some day?

Seriously, take me down your road and introduce me to your wizard.

President Barack Obama has told the debt panel's co-chairmen that he "will not accept any measure that attempts to turn off the automatic cut trigger,"

Let's do an unofficial Fark survey:

Will the President give in and let Congressional Republicans block defense spending cuts?

[_] Yes

[_] No

[_] Enough Democrats will also vote against defense cuts to override his veto

SandmanEatsYourBrain: What the hell does all that money get spent on anyways? Is the military still living the high life of $10k folding chairs and $90 paper clips? Do they end up paying $20 a gallon for gas or something?

hurkdurk

SandmanEatsYourBrain: They certainly ain't spending it on veterans needs.

They're spending it on billions of dollars worth of boondoggles.

Ok devistating... I get it, but has anyone ever came up with a percentage of cutting defense that was not devistating? And really what does "Devistating" mean has anyone came out and said if we do "X" will happen?

coeyagi: skullkrusher: Ric Romero, reporting.

Take money from the Manning brothers' contracts and give it to our treasury. A good start for a couple of wastes.

bah - still blaming the O-line

Am I to believe the manufactured debt ceiling crisis has led to a manufactured budget-cutting trigger crisis?

FuturePastNow: [X] Enough Democrats will also vote against defense cuts to override his veto

Dusk-You-n-Me: [i.imgur.com image 538x218]

Had this discussion with a right wing co-worker. At first he tried to defend the Republican claim that government spending doesn't create jobs, then he claimed that military spending does. Eventually he settled on military spending is a more efficient way to create jobs, far more so then bridges, water distribution, power, etc.

He didn't like it when I pointed out the low levels of competition for military contracts vs. public works, level of use to society, etc.

FuturePastNow: Will the President give in and let Congressional Republicans block defense spending cuts?

[_] Yes

[_] No

[X] Enough Democrats will also vote against defense cuts to override his veto