President Signs $680 Billion Defense Bill

President Barack Obama signed a massive $680 Billion Dollar Defense Bill that continues spending on the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also cuts unnecessary programs and wasteful spending, while allowing our military to be able to protect the nation.

First did anyone read this bill before it was signed! The question I would like to know is this defense bill reflected in the current long term strategy as it relates to national security? Have we eliminated cost overruns on weapons systems that are engrained in the defense establishment or we just going back to business as usual but now with just with a different party in power.

Almost a half trillion dollars is now spent on the Defense Department more than almost the whole world combined. The Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments states by 2018 the interest on the national debt will exceed the annual defense bill.

Washington should remember the statement by President Eisenhower in his farewell address by warning of the “Military Industrial Complex.” Both parties are guilty of protecting their vital interests of keeping the money following to their states and districts all under the guise of making sure the troops have what they need.

The President speaks of eliminating waste, but continually the military services receive items that they did not request or want. The president scaled back production or eliminated weapons systems that were relics of the Cold War such as the F-22, but other items eventually are added into the budget. Democratic Congressman John Murtha is prime example of someone who steers defense dollars to his surrogates, but Republican are equally guilty as the past eight years little care was given to how defense dollars were spent.

The nation is teetering on insolvency if we do not start getting our fiscal house in order. The Defense Department needs to overhaul its accounting and procurement system and bring it into the 21st century. Too often the budget has been used as a black hole without any regard to how resources are allocated.

A bi-partisan commission of congressional leaders, retired military personnel, and policy leaders should be tasked with reforming how resources are allocated with the mandate of reforming the spending practices of the Department of Defense.

The empty black hole cannot continue, if left unchecked it will threaten the national security of this nation!