Fiscal Conservatives

[Supermick]

http://cagle.com/working/080801/greenberg21.jpg

[tricky]

[Nyteshade]

Given that Congress is responsible for setting taxes and the National Budget has to be approved by them, a more accurate portrayal would be using which party was in control at the time.

[tricky]

Originally Posted by Nyteshade

Given that Congress is responsible for setting taxes and the National Budget has to be approved by them, a more accurate portrayal would be using which party was in control at the time.

Chicken and the Egg situation

congress passes the laws, the president signs them and sets the agenda....also has veto power

[Nyteshade]

Originally Posted by tricky

Chicken and the Egg situation

congress passes the laws, the president signs them and sets the agenda....also has veto power

Agreed. In which case, putting the blame/credit entirely on the president is kinda dumb.

It also needs to be pointed out that Republicans had the majority of Congress during much of the Clinton Administration. This was a winning combo as far as I'm concerned. A fiscally conservative Congress with a moderate President who was smart enough to work well with them was great for the economy.

I hated it as a Marine because that was where the money came from. My first thought when I checked into my unit (August 99) was, "Oh god I hope we never have to go to war with this crap." Nothing like being issued gear that dates back to Vietnam and Humvees with canvas doors.

[tricky]

Originally Posted by Nyteshade

Agreed. In which case, putting the blame/credit entirely on the president is kinda dumb.

It also needs to be pointed out that Republicans had the majority of Congress during much of the Clinton Administration. This was a winning combo as far as I'm concerned. A fiscally conservative Congress with a moderate President who was smart enough to work well with them was great for the economy.

I hated it as a Marine because that was where the money came from. My first thought when I checked into my unit (August 99) was, "Oh god I hope we never have to go to war with this crap." Nothing like being issued gear that dates back to Vietnam and Humvees with canvas doors.

There has a been a great misallocation of funds due to such projects as Star War and the defenseless stealth destroyer being pushed by the hawks and military industrial complex.

[Nyteshade]

Originally Posted by tricky

There has a been a great misallocation of funds due to such projects as Star War and the defenseless stealth destroyer being pushed by the hawks and military industrial complex.

Regardless of projects that the Air Force and Navy spend money on, the Marine Corps has always been stuck with ~3% of the DoD budget. The Marines also spend the highest amount on personal gear out of all the branches.

Also, the stealth destroyer project is pretty new so the funds may not have been spent yet anyways. They seem relatively useless imo since I can't seem to find any info about how they plan to escape active sonar detection.

[e-brake]

Originally Posted by Nyteshade

Also, the stealth destroyer project is pretty new so the funds may not have been spent yet anyways. They seem relatively useless imo since I can't seem to find any info about how they plan to escape active sonar detection.

Story was out yesterday that they are scrapping production after they made the first one. Turns out that they spent all the money making it stealth to all of the latest super weapons, but it has absolutely no defense whatsoever to oldschool WWII era torpedos, and the land based cruise missiles.

So pretty much we just spent 1/3 of the Navys R&D budget for the last 10 years to develop a boat that is more vulnerable than a coast guard cutter.

[e-brake]

links:
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/0...stealth-d.html

http://xmb.stuffucanuse.com/xmb/viewthread.php?tid=5446

http://killfile.newsvine.com/_news/2...-not-much-else

[PETA]

Originally Posted by Nyteshade

Regardless of projects that the Air Force and Navy spend money on, the Marine Corps has always been stuck with ~3% of the DoD budget. The Marines also spend the highest amount on personal gear out of all the branches.

Also, the stealth destroyer project is pretty new so the funds may not have been spent yet anyways. They seem relatively useless imo since I can't seem to find any info about how they plan to escape active sonar detection.

And never mind the fact that SDI was the thing that brought Gorbachev to the table at Rejkavik - it was the potential of the program that made Gorbachev see the writing on the wall. Afaik, some the systems to emerge from that program are now installed in Europe to defend against missiles coming from the ME. But maybe that is silly, all we really need is a President who can finally sit down with Ahmendinajad, feel his pain and explain to him that he's just hurting himself with his rambunctious behavior and that'll eliminate the need for any defensive military capabilities in the region.

[Nyteshade]

Originally Posted by e-brake

Story was out yesterday that they are scrapping production after they made the first one. Turns out that they spent all the money making it stealth to all of the latest super weapons, but it has absolutely no defense whatsoever to oldschool WWII era torpedos, and the land based cruise missiles.

So pretty much we just spent 1/3 of the Navys R&D budget for the last 10 years to develop a boat that is more vulnerable than a coast guard cutter.

They were only given enough money to make two in the first place. Far from 1/3 of their R&D budget. Also, the program is only 6 years old, not 10.

Here's the actual budget reports of the Navy's R&D in 2006 for all unclassified projects:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...eds/index.html

I wish I could find an overview though since every single program they have is a seperate page.

[tricky]

Originally Posted by xian

But maybe that is silly, all we really need is a President who can finally sit down with Ahmendinajad, feel his pain and explain to him that he's just hurting himself with his rambunctious behavior and that'll eliminate the need for any defensive military capabilities in the region.

It wouldn't hurt to at least meet with the guy and see what his angle is....And since when does a Stealth Naval Destroyer lead to not being able to defend ourselves in the gulf? You do know we have nuclear aircraft carriers...buehler?

[PETA]

Originally Posted by tricky

It wouldn't hurt to at least meet with the guy and see what his angle is....And since when does a Stealth Naval Destroyer lead to not being able to defend ourselves in the gulf? You do know we have nuclear aircraft carriers...buehler?

He's been pretty clear what his angle is. Build nukes - blow up Israel. It is unbecoming to give him creditbility and legitimacy by meeting with him. He is a first rate thug who runs the world's number one terror sponsoring state. There is nothing to be gained by meeting with him. The net result of Euros meeting with him has been more deaths of soldiers in Iraq and more belligerant behvior from Iran (recall him seizing the HMS Pinnafore from the panty wearing brits a year or so back)

I said nothing about any boats there Mr. Smartypants. I said SDI resulted in missile defense systems that we put in Europe to defend from a potential attack coming from the ME - meaning Iran.

As far as carriers go... don't get me started... my brother has served on both below and I'm fairly familiar with what they have done and what they can do. I'm not at all concerned that Iranian threats to close the Straights will do anything more than see more Iranian naval tonnage on the bottom.

http://www.cvn70.navy.mil/

http://navysite.de/cvn/cvn73.html

[tricky]

Originally Posted by xian

He's been pretty clear what his angle is. Build nukes - blow up Israel.

I said nothing about any boats there Mr. Smartypants. I said SDI resulted in missile defense systems that we put in Europe to defend from a potential attack coming from the ME - meaning Iran.

As far as carriers go... don't get me started... my brother has served on both below and I'm fairly familiar with what they have done and what they can do. I'm not at all concerned that Iranian threats to close the Straights will do anything more than see more Iranian naval tonnage on the bottom.

http://www.cvn70.navy.mil/

http://navysite.de/cvn/cvn73.html

He's just jumping on the "blow up israel" bandwagon to be cool...he really just needs a stern talking

[elNastioBananaHando]

Originally Posted by Nyteshade

Given that Congress is responsible for setting taxes and the National Budget has to be approved by them, a more accurate portrayal would be using which party was in control at the time.

Didn't Dubya start out with a Republican controlled Congress and had one for most of his presidency?