This is a very volatile issue, since people do not understand much about it and have very emotional reactions to it. Conservatives can message this issue very well, since it is easy to label those who want rational, effective military spending as weak on defense.
However, people also want effective government that does not waste their tax dollars. The bottom line is the military wastes more money than any government entity. The military does many things well, but it is a behemoth of an organization and is resistant to change. Thus, many procedures and weapon systems continue to be funded and maintained when they should be canceled.
Eliminating extraneous weapons systems, military bases, and R&D would make the military more efficient and effective. Additionally, it would help decrease the deficit. Our massive deficit spending is primarily caused by Bush’s tax subsidies for the rich and military spending. Fighting two wars at the same time certainly does not help matters.
Since these wars force us to pour billions into maintaining the weapons we do have, intelligent cuts in outdated, unnecessary weapons systems will relieve the fiscal pressure the military faces in trying to fund all of its needs. Combined with overhauling the Pentagon’s accounting system, which loses billions every year, eliminating unneeded military bases and R&D, we can save money, allocate Pentagon resources more efficiently, strengthen the military, and help cut the deficit.
Former Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld may have gotten many things wrong, but he was right to cancel the Army’s Crusader and Commanche weapons systems. This allowed the Army to spend its money more wisely on systems we need to fight today’s terrorism and unconventional, asymmetric warfare.
Policy
1) Eliminate outdated, Cold War weapons systems like Star Wars, F-22 fighters, V-22 Osprey, new attack subs and destroyers, new multi-billion dollar air craft carriers.
2) Overhaul the Pentagon’s accounting system.
3) Get rid of redundant military bases.
4) Cut R&D to systems unrelated to fighting asymmetric warfare and terrorism.
4) Use the freed up money to invest in better body armor, unmanned aerial drones, special forces and intelligence gathering and sharing technology.
5) Use the rest of the freed up money to reduce the deficit or increase homeland security or domestic spending.
Messaging
Beware of being too ‘guns vs. butter’. The public thinks we can have both, even though we really cannot. Focus on how military waste hurts our security and increases the deficit.
1) Wasteful military spending and Bush’s tax subsidies for the rich are causing our massive deficits.
2) Cutting useless Cold War weapons will make America’s military stronger.
3) Eliminating useless weapons frees your money to be spent smartly on body armor, anti-terrorist intelligence, deficit reduction, etc…
4) Our military should be faster, stronger, cheaper; not slower, weaker, costlier.
5) Iraq has broken the military. Since it has to rebuild, the Pentagon cannot afford to waste tens of billions yearly.