cut the MIC budget. here is how.

[mopinko]

first, everyone should see the old movie "the pentagon wars" with kelsey grammer and matthew brodrick. this thread made me think about it.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014528412
it is about the absurdity that was the development of the abrams a1 (iirc)


what would be smart to do is to find a way to reach down to the grunt, and give them a certified confidential way to report the bullshit. they know where it bullshit is, and they don't have 19 years toward their pension to worry about.

[NYC_SKP]

1. Recommended. (nt)

[magellan]

2. The DoD owns the NSA

Not likely to see a certified confidential way to report bullshit under those terms.

And then where would it be reported to? Former intelligence officers (before Snowden) failed to get anyone in their chain of command, all the way to Congress, to respond in any way but by prosecuting them....

[mopinko]

3. in this day and age, i admit it would be hard.

it should go to the CIC.

[magellan]

8. Commander in Chief? You mean the President, yes?

And what if another Bush** comes along, which seems a given?

Your idea is good, but the logistics are improbable. Potential government whistleblowers are having the screws turned on them to shut them up, and I don't see any reason to believe that'll get better.

[Lurks Often]

4. First start by holding the people that represent you in Congress accountable

They are the ones pissing away all the money, often on things that military doesn't want or need.

Second reduce the number of Generals. Since I think the Marine Corps has the fewest Generals per soldier ratio, I'd use 5% over that ratio.

Third there is more room for commonality among the services, there is no reason to have 4 separate working uniforms/combat fatigues for the four branches and I have no doubt there are other things that can be addressed.

[mopinko]

5. congress sees what MIC wants them to see. they have no idea.

and cut generals without a room full of evidence that they are incompetent? ha.

what you say is what SHOULD work. but it is too top down.

[Lurks Often]

7. So Congress is incompetent?

That it what you seem to be implying. Congress knows exactly what they are doing. They vote for a military project not because the military may need it, but because the the company making the equipment is in their state, which equals jobs, which means they get re-elected.

The overwhelming priority of virtually every member of Congress is to get re-elected. Everything else comes after that.

As for the generals, we have too many and they cost money. It is very simple, when a general retires, you replace him in that role with a colonel or navy captain.

[mopinko]

10. not incompetent, just blindered and cowed.

as for generals, you are right, but of course, those colonels will not be happy about that. you are still talking about people at the top. not my point.

[leftstreet]

6. Make the military get aircraft carriers off Craigslist's Free column n/t

[Octafish]

9. Great idea about the lower ranks club.

They know where the loot goes.

Regarding the budget, though: We were promised a Peace Dividend when the Cold War ended. No Congressman wants to cut off the sluice from the trough that brings a few good-paying jobs home.

http://www.proudprimate.com/Placards/teamb-cahn.htm

Who was pretzeldent? Why George Herbert Walker Bush, the same guy who as CIA director told us the Soviets were planning to march into Texas any day. His dim son as pretzeldent used the same line about Iraq.

[Zorra]

11. Good idea, but, the problem is, the MIC prevents us from taking the democratic actions necessary

to enact confidential whistleblower protection laws by controlling the media and Congress.

We will never be allowed to make laws that genuinely prevent the 1% from buying legislators for this same reason.

It's the Great American Catch 22.

The 1% is consolidating and increasing their wealth, power, and control, ant they won't be giving any of it away.