The Significance of the New DOD Budget
"You simply can't have democracy at home and imperialism abroad"
Ben Schreiner
Something very significant has happened that is not receiving nearly enough attention in anti-establishment land.
It occurred to me that the recent massive increase in "defense" spending, i.e., the Department of Defense (DOD) budget, AND the plan to increase it by up to half a trillion more within ten years, was passed with nary a whimper from the public, let alone requiring a "New Pearl Harbor".
Mission accomplished. The American people have been almost completely conditioned. Even those who know better realize they have no choice, they must respect the flag, love their country, or else. It's not worth it, just stand the fuck up, put your hand across your heart and thank God you're not North Korean.
Those screaming loudest that the NFL players should stand for the national anthem and respect the flag are the same ones who base their inflated views of this country on the wisdom of the founding fathers and the sanctity of the U.S. Constitution. The Supreme Court itself ruled that flag burning was constitutional. So the "Constitutionalists" want people who are exercising their constitutional rights to leave "their" country and be declared a non-American because they believe in the Constitution. That's about as good as it gets folks, the coup de grace to rational discourse in this country.
Back to the DOD budget. In 2000, the think tank, Project for a New American Century (PNAC) published "Rebuilding America's Defenses: Strategies, Forces, and Resources For a New Century", calling for a ten year program increase, which did indeed occur, for DOD so the United States Empire could militarily insure domination of the planet during the 21st century. In the 90 page document they called for a "New Pearl Harbor" to persuade the American sheeple to accept a full blown military empire.
Unbelievably coincidently (yes, think about that, particularly when you know who was in PNAC at that time, like Dick Cheney himself), that new Pearl Harbor did happen on 9/11/01 and joila, the United States Congress and Senate bipartisanly, that's the republican AND democratic parties, embarked on a ten year escalation of the DOD budget, not to mention all the intelligence agencies and the new Department of Die Homeland Security.
Fast forward SIXTEEN YEARS during which time the Empire has been continually at war, causing war, and planning more war across the planet, and we get another republican administration tasked with "Rebuilding America's Defenses, Part Two". The last sixteen years have taken a toll on "America's Defenses" and the emergence of Russia and China as bonfide challengers to American supremacy necessitate a major overhaul, particularly in the U.S. Navy, if their plan is going to work.
(Note - IMO this is not a neocon plan, it is a consensus agenda of the ruling class and has been before the word neocon was even invented.)
Also coincidently, along came Donald Trump campaigning to "Make America Great Again" while rebuilding the military into the largest and most expensive killing machine ever assembled.
So now the U.S. Senate has voted 89-8 to pass a $700 billion defense policy bill for 2018 that would greatly exceed even President Donald Trump’s budget request (By $50 billion) and break statutory caps on defense spending, adding over $90 billion to the total 2017 defense budget. An amazing increase equal to the total budgets of almost all the domestic agencies except the Department of Die Homeland Security, Medicare and Social Security and enough to pay for college for all U.S. citizens or provide jobs and job training for all of the nation's unemployed and under employed.
That's just the increase for 2018.
Few are understanding the significance of this action and what it signals. For one, it was a wholly bipartisan effort regardless the few votes against. It shows that after sixteen years both major political parties, the duopoly, are fully on board with increased military expansionism and the final stage of U.S. imperialism, i.e., to rule the world. It signals that during a time of heightened tensions with Russia and China, those controlling the U.S. government are willing and ready to go all the way. It shows that any chance of Medicare for All Improved and any chance of domestic improvement for the majority of citizens is simply not going to happen while our "rulers" are trying to rule the world. It shows that if We the Serfs don't stop this Crazy Train, those in control WILL take us all down with them.
And they didn't even need another New Pearl Harbor. Many of the "Aware", the un-brainwashed few who understand what these bastards are up to, thought they might try to pull off something to get the public to beg for more war, weapons and murder. "Please can I have some more Sir". They didn't need it. Maybe this flag flap helped, but it appears the people are so fucking numb at this point, our rulers could enact tax reform that totally favors the rich and most people wouldn't even look up from their phone. Trump could tell the country, "we're going to war with Russia", and most people would say, "oh ok, now we're going to war with Russia", then they'd go back to reading tweets from their Facebook friends.
Ruh roh.
What this does is up the ante, it solidifies the ruling class stranglehold on the political system and the agenda of the U.S. government. This seals the deal for the next ten years for more war, more killing, and an attack on our social programs at home.
They've told us what they're going to do, now it's up to us to stop them.
Comments
Yep. Eternal war has become acceptable apparently. That's one
big benefit to an 'all-volunteer' military. And not seeing dead bodies coming into Dover. And a silent and complicit media. And both parties being run by greedy savages for the benefit and bottom line of wealthy greedy foul ghouls who don't care who has to die for that bank balance to grow.
And now that we have automated burger flippers and self-driving cars, there will be no end to the 'voluntary' cannon fodder and slave labor.
God bless Amurika!
I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks
Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa
You're not wrong, Big Al
They're not even trying to hide it anymore.
Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.
Apologies To War Pigs
These profane bloodthirsty creatures are lower than whale shit on the bottom of the ocean, demonic vampire vultures that are sucking the lifeblood of the entire planet.
And there is virtually no coverage! I've been waiting for some commentary, and still waiting.
And the $2.7 trillion dollar corporate tax cuts on top of that. The path to global destruction has been finalized. No money for anything but war machines.
"They'll say we're disturbing the peace, but there is no peace. What really bothers them is that we are disturbing the war." Howard Zinn
Attitude Adjustment Successful
Damn, I needed that. We are looking at an economic and environmental/ecological meltdown and there ain't no Brakeman on that train.
One brief article I read said they have to over rule the sequestration cap from the last budget battle. I think I see McConnell going nuclear on the Senate filibuster rule. How the GOP explains how this massive budget plus tax cuts fits in with the PayGo rule should be interesting.
Social Security and Medicare will be sacrificed at the alter of "blood and soil" I guess. Schumer and Pelosi must have made a back door deal of some sort to have so few Democratic Senate votes against this monstrosity. They didn't even try to slow it down. Sweet Jesus, we are so screwed.
"They'll say we're disturbing the peace, but there is no peace. What really bothers them is that we are disturbing the war." Howard Zinn
They didn't even try to slow it down.
Why would they try? There's no upside to being seen as "not for the troops".
It seems to me that the US,
It seems to me that the US, as the sole superpower, has had enormous global power and advantages - and is seeing that a lot of that is going away.
China builds everything. Tech is global. Other economies are strong, China's is going to surpass ours.
American workers have no basis to continue to command a premium in the global labor market.
There's only one advantage the US has remaining: military power.
And how ugly is it for us to rely more and more on our military power to maintain advantage?
That's an America that is killing and threatening force to get advantage of the world - not an
America we want it to be. And obviously not an America the rest of the world wants it to be.
I used to tell people to do a thought experiment and imagine themselves as a citizen in a 'bad' country in terms of what they'd face, to increase their empathy for citizens there.
That's becoming more important as we're looking at having that very experience - and American citizens won't be immune if they want to resist the policy. Democracy could become obsolete.
We also need to watch out for the increasing use of less or un-accountable military resources such as mercenaries and foreign fighters. We should put strong limits against that.
@Craig234 "We also need to watch
"We also need to watch out for the increasing use of less or un-accountable military resources such as mercenaries and foreign fighters. We should put strong limits against that."
"We the people" are powerless to stop this. And now many feel like sitting ducks in a shooting gallery. Make Congress One and Done. Yes, it's a learning curve, but instructions are given. Hell, even Highway Superintendents go to summer school.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Democracy is already obsolete.
You are behind the curve if you think democracy still exists. We are already citizens in a bad country, but the brainwashed sheeple just keep going through the motions, hoping they are not the next victims in whatever scheme the government has concocted to eliminate us. Let's keep the purchase of assault rifles legal because "the second amendment!" Meanwhile, let me get my new iPhone 8!
We continue to allow ourselves to be bent over. Stop mercenaries and foreign fighters? Good luck with that. That's their ultimate plan.
Revolution is the only answer. Recreating our government is the only answer. Until then, keep bending over, and take it until you decide otherwise.
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
They will learn, the hard way, what history teaches
Mercenaries cannot be trusted. If they don't turn coat for someone with deeper pockets, they will turn and loot the current pockets for themselves. Try to stop them, and they will turn on you.
Just check out the history of 14th-16th century Italy, or look at what one band of mercenaries did to the Byzantine Empire 1300-1320.
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
We have been doing
mercenaries and foreign fighters for a long time, and it works exactly as you would expect. It creates a need for more.
@Raggedy Ann If democracy can't
If democracy can't solve this, and only revolution can, we're in awfully big trouble because our luckily having the vote is the only way to change things, and revolution is impossible IMO.
"We should put strong limits against that."
you are a funny guy!
The $700 billion DOD budget
was the single most depressing news to come out of Washington this year. The fact that the Senate voted to not only increase the defense budget, but actually increased it above what was requested by the Trump administration was unconscionable.
Coupled with tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations and severe cuts to social programs, it screams loudly as to what a barbaric country we are. I believe strongly in truth in advertising. It is time that the Department of Defense revert back to being the Department of War, because that is exactly what it is.
On a personal note, I thought about writing an essay on the defense budget, but it made me sick to my stomach even thinking about it. I am so glad you took this on, Big Al.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Thanks gg, it's a big deal.
Not only for it's substance but for what it signifies. And you're right, combine that with these proposed tax "reforms" and we've got major trouble.
Kamala Harris votes FOR war and violence
Those are her actions these are her words, just like public/private Clinton. Put money up your ass for one side, parseltongue for the other: Newsom, Harris call for increased gun control in response to Las Vegas shooting
Start curbing it by throwing her out, Feinstein too. CA, NY, IL. Who else has a stock exchange? Hit 'em where it hurts, in the wallet. Stop giving them money, give it to the homeless instead, if you have any. Do not give it to "the opposition" because it does not exist, there isn't any when it comes time to vote.
Give cash to the homeless and hungry, the pigs are fat enough.
good luck
I just checked
and Harris was not one of the few Senators who recently voted against the NDAA. Tell me again how the Democrats are in the party of peace . . .
I'm pretty much at the point of not caring about civilian gun control laws any more. With 300 million plus guns in private hands it seems pretty obvious there's not going to be anything more than window dressing (if that much) done to reduce the likelihood of shootings.
Give the military an unasked-for present of billions of dollars with one hand while wringing the other over the horrible tragedy du jour with those nasty guns. It is kind of like having your cake and eating it too.
LoneStarMike meme material
Her vote next to that quote, priceless.
I'm sorry. I apologize for California pols even when I did not vote for them. Citizen guilt. I think I've been a voting here longer than she's been alive, that's funny.
Never thought my life here would end this way, greed and ugliness all around. Eff the poor. Bonds for the poor, LOL! Instead of alms, bonds. Or bombs why not, it rhymes with alms. Jerry Brown was a Jesuit, and he gutted money for housing, hence the homeless. After years, instead of re-development cash we get BOND sales now. Woo hoo. Stinks like rentier service fee racket, PU. Brown gets his 2500 acre spread soon enough, and then what. Newsom? Pew pew pew! The Pepe kind, not armaments. Or how 'bout the kneeling kind. To heel!
good luck
They are not rational.
"The Supreme Court itself ruled that flag burning was constitutional."
If you told them this, they would say "which Supreme Court? You mean the liberal one or the one now?"
I have a FB friend who disputes the source when he doesn't like the facts. So I started giving him links to a google so he could pick his own sources. This pissed him off. He said google was liberal too. No talking to these fools.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Of course not restricted to the right, most on the left
are just as confused. Try using logic and the gears start to rub together, smoke starts to appear and the eyes start to flutter. Then the conversation is over.
Damn, this country is one giant killing machine for profit
I wonder how many people in the World have been killed by US taxpayer money since 2001. How many people in America have been killed by insane people able to get automatic weapons? How many people in this country have been killed by the soulless extortion of "health" insurance companies? How many people have been killed the greed of pharmaceutical companies? How many people have had their lives destroyed by Wall Street crooks? How many people have been killed by deregulation of planet destroying industries? How many people have been killed by voluntary negligence such as we see in Puerto Rico? I think millions and millions of people have been killed by this greed inspired insanity.
Beware the bullshit factories.
At least 45,000 Americans die from lack of health insurance
if that many people died from gun violence would that make a difference to our leaders and if so, why? What does it matter how one of our citizens die if there is a way to stop this which there is?
This rendition of kabuki theater of dems saying that we must stop the gun violence is just that. They had all 3 branches of government for two years and the only thing they passed was the give away to insurance companies health insurance bill.
On top of the number of people who die from lack of insurance,1 veteran kills himself every 65 minute because these same leaders sent them out to fight their wars of profits and after they returned home the nightmares of what they took part in was too much for them to bare.
On top of all this, now they are going to gut social programs so that the rich and the corporations can keep more of their money. Trump wants to eliminate LIHEAP which helps pay for people's utilities during the winter. How many more people are going to die if they pass this?
This madness continues every day in this exceptional country and it's going to continue to get worse unless enough of us do something about it. The time for this is quickly closing and I am not sure that enough people would even try to do anything about this. This too is American exceptionalism. Whoo Hoo, go USA!!
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
Voting is like driving with a toy steering wheel.
Just been listening to an interview on Pacifica radio
Just for a few minutes while I was driving from one place to another. I don't even know who was being interviewed but it was probably an economist of some sort. He was talking about all these tax cuts that Republicans (and sometimes Democrats) keep proposing. They never work, they always drastically increase the deficit, but according to this guy that's part of the routine. Republicans create huge deficits with their phony, stimulate the economy and therefore increase tax revenue arguments. And then when the deficit goes up, Democrats suddenly start compromising away social programs because they put too much strain on the newly enlarged deficit. It's a win win for oligarchs and of course it's always a loss for everybody else.
Beware the bullshit factories.
The game is so rigged
You are right that both parties are complicit in screwing us and as LaFeminsta so elegantly stated, without fore play.
They take their orders from the banks who pull their puppet strings to make them move in the right direction. This makes them nothing but whores IMO. What kind of person could want to run to make the country better and end up selling out every one of their values?
I'm surprised that NPR got so close to the truth.
Answering your question, one report I read said that since WWII, over 1.3 billion people have been killed by our country either directly or indirectly when we forment coups, train other country's military actions and the many other nefarious actions we have taken.
Something to be proud of,mhuh?
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
Voting is like driving with a toy steering wheel.
Not NPR, Pacifica
Quite different from NPR. More specifically, I listen to KPFA quite a bit.
Beware the bullshit factories.
Ah, my bad
I plead reading comprehension difficulty. No wonder you got so close the truth
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
Voting is like driving with a toy steering wheel.
Thirty-odd Thousand a year,
, die of gun violence...so, in the same ballpark. Hasn't made a bit of difference, Yet.
"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X
Don't forget
the $6 trillion unaccounted for by Defense.
@Linda Wood
But it's OK - we'll go after any whistleblowers with the full force of the lawless.
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.