Hit them where it hurts the most!

[Capt_Nemo]

Since the Democratic party has retaken the Houses of Congress
I have heard many here at the DU discussing about what a
poster today has called the "Democratic dilemma", namely
that cutting fuds for troop deployements in Iraq would
bring immediately a fierce attack from the Republicans
blaming the loss of this unwinnable war on the Democratic policies.

Unfortunately decades of propaganda in the schools and in the media
have brainwashed many americans into believing this (among others)
aspect of american exceptionalism: american invincibility.
So, for many voters, if america loses its the fault of those that didn't push
hard enough to win, since american victory is an unquestionable
postulate. They will rather believe the myth than face decades
of ugly truths about US foreign policy, and about the decadence
of their nation.

Well I think there is a pretty straightforward way out of this
dilemma, and before I start I will tell you that it will imply
giving to Bush the "surge" that he wants, and consequentely
many americans and many more iraqis will die as a consequence.
But the way some are advocating to spare those lives may
imperil many, many more if the consequence of cutting the
funding will be getting a nutjob like John MacCain into the
WH come 2008.

So what could be done in order to pressure the WH to give up
on their delusions of victory in Iraq?
I say, hit them where it hurts the most,
The pockets of the military industrial complex!

How to do it?

1. Declare an inflation ajusted freeze on the defense budget.

2. Give Bush everything he wants in terms of escalating the ground war
and increasing the size of the Army.

3. The extra spending associated with escalating the ground war
and increasing the size of the Army will be cut from the procurement
and R&D for advanced weapon systems. For example:

3. Every extra $140 Million for his surge and recruitment drive will be one
less F-22 he buys to LockMart, and 3 less F/A-18E he buys to Boeing.

4. Every extra $2 Billion for his surge and recruitment drive will
be one less Virginia Class sub he buys to Electric Boat Co., and 2 less
Arleigh Burk destroyers he buys to Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding.

5. Cut across every R&D program to find money for surge and recruitment
while maintainig the freeze on the budget. Cut on Missile Defense,
Cut on DDX destroyers, Cut on CVX carriers, cut on F-35, cut on UCAVs,
cut, cut, cut, cut!!!
The impact will not be very strong on each individual program but
the cummulative effect of cutting acrross the board will be felt by
the contractors that are allways the same half a dozen suspects:
LockMart, Boeing, NorthGrumm, Raytheon, General Electric, Textron
well, maybe a few more, but you get the idea...

I believe that using such strategy Democrats would force the aerospace/defense
contractors to confront Bush/Cheney with another dilemma!

[illinoisprogressive]

1. I think they should declare a constitutional crises and recind

bush's wartime powers.

[Capt_Nemo]

2. Well that's another way to do it, but

If you're going down the constitutional crises way, you better be sure
you have a significant part of the armed forces and security establishment
supporting you, and that if it comes to a showdown they will be right
behind you come hell or high watter...

[NNN0LHI]

3. Bush will just hire mercenaries to keep us in line like he did the Iraqis

That is what he did in NOLA. Not necessarily American mercs either. That is what I am concerned about.

Don

[screembloodymurder]

7. I agree.

We don't need bipartisan politics. We need to go to war against these people.

[napi21]

4. You just gave me an idea! I've heard the 2007DOD budget was already passed in the last

Congress so Shrub already has the $$ he needs for his war...for a while at least. I also think it would be very difficult if not impossible to control HOW the DOD money is spent. BUT....the "hit 'em where it hurts" idea is a great one! What do you think about increasing the TOP income tax rate by the amount necessary to cover any new requests for war $$? The top tax rate and corporate tax rate! That would comply with the new PAY GO and put the $$ burden on the war supporters at the same time! THAT just might convince those folks that we've been in Iraq long enough!

[Capt_Nemo]

6. Top income tax Corporate tax to fund the neocon war would be very good idea!

And there is a sweet irony about it:
Think about Bush's rhetoric on "sacrifice"...

But anyway aren't the budget apropriations in the US discussed in 2 phases:
general and detailed?

Wasn't the Congress that terminated the A-12 project for the Navy, for example?

[no_hypocrisy]

5. #6: Mandate an accurate accounting of where the prior funds have been

allocated with respect to this military adventure. As long as Arthur Anderson isn't contracted this job.

[Toots]

8. I don't think we should just agree to go along with something we know is so wrong

I don't care if half the country has been brainwashed to believe Democrats are soft on National Defense. We just need to reprogram America and that doesn't happen by going along with what we oppose. You are absolutely correct that we need to hit them where it hurts though. In all areas, energy, environment, social/health, education, political. We need an education program to inform the public of how America's money is being spent or should I say misspent. An audit (to show money is missing) was mentioned and that is essential along with investigations into how the money disappeared. Tax increases on the upper class are most definitely needed. Pay down our debt not increase it. We currently spend as much just on interest on our debt as we do on all social programs put together. Inform the public about this. Remember when Ross Perot was running he used half hour infomercials to educate the public. Congress should do that...Education is sorely lacking in America and I don't mean schooling but that also is in need. I mean awareness of our country and how it operates. That would really hit them where it hurts...