Motivations and The Defense Monopoly...

[bridgit]

Run time: 03:56 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53p4JBM3GLI   Posted on YouTube: April 17, 2015 By YouTube Member: YouTube Help Views on YouTube: 6772132   Posted on DU: December 01, 2006 By DU Member: bridgit Views on DU: 640

 

[whistle]

1. Dwight D Eisenhower warned the U.S. during during his departing

....speech to always be on guard against a military/industrial complex. The problem was that Eisenhower overlooked the corruption of public and elected officials and should have referred instead to the military/industrial/governmental complex. Had he said that back in January of 1961 the country would have immediately sensed the danger that we were slipping quickly toward fascism.


Here is the context of what Eisenhower said about this concern:

<snip>
IV.

A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction.

Our military organization today bears little relation to that known by any of my predecessors in peacetime, or indeed by the fighting men of World War II or Korea.

Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense; we have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. Added to this, three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the defense establishment. We annually spend on military security more than the net income of all United States corporations.

This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
<MORE>

http://coursesa.matrix.msu.edu/~hst306/documents/indust.html

Grave warning indeed, but totally unheeded!

[Greeby]

2. If they want to say it's a bi-partisan problem

They might have tried actually getting a Democrat in that collection of House speeches, because all I saw were Republicans.

And there is a hardcore group of 60 to 70 who DO say no to these bloated "defense" bills. Now, is that too few? You bet. But I wish people would acknowledge it