Congress may override efforts by Secretary Gates to cut defense spending

[TomCADem]

Source: Washington Post

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has vowed to impose fiscal austerity at the Pentagon, but his biggest challenge may be persuading Congress to go along.

Lawmakers from both parties are poised to override Gates and fund the C-17 cargo plane and an alternative engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter -- two weapons systems the defense secretary has been trying to cut from next year's budget. They have also made clear they will ignore Gates's pleas to hold the line on military pay raises and health-care costs, arguing that now is no time to skimp on pay and benefits for troops who have been fighting two drawn-out wars.

The competing agendas could lead to a major clash between Congress and the Obama administration this summer. Gates has repeatedly said he will urge President Obama to veto any defense spending bills that include money for the F-35's extra engine or the C-17, both of which he tried unsuccessfully to eliminate last year.

"Secretary Gates is a very deliberate and careful man," said his press secretary, Geoff Morrell. "He does not make idle threats."

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/16/AR2010051602937.html?hpid=moreheadlines

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Once again, the so-called fiscally conservative Republicans, who were against the stimulus because government spending does not create jobs, oppose cuts in defense spending because such cuts will cause a loss of jobs in their home districts. Will the media ever call out this hypocrisy to Republicans who claim that the stimulus did not work?

[Dappleganger]

1. Everybody wants to fund their pet projects in time for elections.

It's as simple as that.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

17. Congressional plus up have been with us forever

[Skink]

2. we are lving in another dimension.

[EFerrari]

13. Or, this might be bullsh!t. n/t

[elias49]

3. Who's zooming who?

What a bullshit shell game. DOD wants 2,400 F35's. Do I care what engine is wasted on them?
Gates plays good cop. DOD gets what it wants in the end.
And the taxpayer gets it 'in th end', too.

[SpartanDem]

4. Congress may override efforts by Secretary Gates to cut defense spending

Source: Washington Post

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has vowed to impose fiscal austerity at the Pentagon, but his biggest challenge may be persuading Congress to go along.

Lawmakers from both parties are poised to override Gates and fund the C-17 cargo plane and an alternative engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter -- two weapons systems the defense secretary has been trying to cut from next year's budget. They have also made clear they will ignore Gates's pleas to hold the line on military pay raises and health-care costs, arguing that now is no time to skimp on pay and benefits for troops who have been fighting two drawn-out wars.

The competing agendas could lead to a major clash between Congress and the Obama administration this summer. Gates has repeatedly said he will urge President Obama to veto
....
A Republican holdover from the Bush administration, Gates is considered an influential player on Capitol Hill. Last year, he surprised many military leaders and defense lobbyists by persuading Congress to kill the F-22 stealth fighter, which was designed during the Cold War and has been relegated to the sidelines during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But his campaign to eliminate the C-17 cargo plane and second engine for the F-35 failed.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/16/AR2010051602937.html?hpid=moreheadlines

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Who didn't see this coming hopefully Gates can kill one of these useless programs

[msongs]

5. fortunately for Gates congress is still enforcing DADT as Obama wants nt

[IndianaJoe]

6. This is bizarre.

The Secretary of Defense is saying...Please, don't spend more money on defense and Congress (my guess the Republicans) is saying...No, no! We must spend more! More missiles! More jet aircraft!
A new generation of aircraft carriers! We can't stint on defense! (especially if the money gets spent in my district!)

Crazy!

[Pirate Smile]

8. There are both Dems and Repubs who want their Defense Dept. pork to continue whether or not

the Military actually wants or needs it. That is why the Military contractors make a point of spreading all their suppliers and jobs throughout every state and congressional district so they can get Congress to continue funding crap the Military doesn't want or need. It isn't an accident. It is a strategy which has been extremely effective in preventing the elimination of unnecessary Military spending - that whole Military Industrial Complex that Ike was talking about long ago.

[Lasher]

10. I don't believe that is exactly what Gates is saying.

I don't think Gates is offering to reduce overall defense spending. I believe he wants to change what allocated money is spent on. So if he gives up the C-17 cargo plane he'll have more money left to waste on other things, like another monster aircraft carrier to name after yet another loser Republican president.

[Pirate Smile]

7. Gates and Obama will be fighting Congress on this one. Congress gave them a win last year after

first acting like they might fight it. Let's hope the same thing happens this year. I think Obama and Gates are serious but Congress views DOD spending as local jobs programs.

[raouldukelives]

9. Gotta keep shoveling the pork into the abyss

[MidwestRick]

18. Useless?

Not at all, unneeded at this time yes.

-MR

[lunasun]

11. Unfuckingbelievable

Pork trumps all and these are our elected officials representing us.

Good thing there are appointees like Gates to offer a view on things that is not encompassed by future voting. No better way than the war complex to get some pork to take home.
I however am against Gates including troop benefits and pay in his austerity plan for the Pentagon.

[EFerrari]

12. LOL! The WaHo never sleeps.

[tomm2thumbs]

14. bbbbut we should do what the military leaders on the ground tell us - or is that when it suits us?

Congress is really looking for a booting out from the American people - a complete and utter purge of these idiots who lie out of not only one side of their mouth, but BOTH sides.

[No Elephants]

15. Ummm, "Lawmakers from BOTH parties are poised to override Gates..."

If you misdiagnose, you mistreat

If you mistreat, improvement is much less likely.


Way to spin, though.

Heaven forbid we spend pork on something that might actually be useful to our military--or even more "unthinkable to some of these clowns, something not military, but useful to people in general.

[Lagomorph]

16. Actually, Gates is the Republican holdover and...

...the biggest supporters of the F-136 engine are:

"Despite Gates's talk of vetoes, two House subcommittees last week approved $485 million for the second engine next year. The program enjoys the support of key leaders in Congress, including Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) and Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.), the chairmen of the House and Senate armed services committees, respectively."

A lot of the defense industry lies in Democratic districts.

It's going to be hard to throw stones at the Republicans without hitting Democrats on these issues.