Recently I wrote about about our newest federal budget and just much of it goes to the Pentagon…..it is heavy toward the defense spending…..
- $23.8 billion for 14 Navy ships, about $3 billion more than the Navy requested. The new ships include an aircraft carrier, three littoral combat ships, two Virginia-class submarines and two destroyers.
- $10.2 billion for 90 F-35 fighter jets, 20 more than previously budgeted.
- $1.8 billion for 24 F/A-18 fighter jets, 10 more than the Navy requested.
- $11.5 billion for the Missile Defense Agency, $3.3 billion above the original request.
- $238 billion for operations and maintenance. Since the fiscal year is nearly half over, the Pentagon will have more flexibility to spend this part of its budget this year.
- $89.2 billion for research and development.
The troops were not cut out of the process….but their part of the budget is not good enough….$137.7 billion for personnel pay, which includes a 2.4 percent pay increase. They get a raise but not nearly enough for the job they do.
What part of this budget will be detoured to help pay for that gosh darn wall?
I confess that (as a Foreigner) I would like to see that wall built. If only because it might be the biggest national folly in history.
Best wishes, Pete.
I am kind of wanting it also….would be something new in the media….chuq
Once he gets that thing built anyone wanna take bets how long before someone gets over it, under it, through it, or around it… illegally?
Jesus Christ!!! You guys could probably afford 1st class Medicare-For-All for that much a year….and probably a much better education system to boot.
Yes I agree…..and we could repair our infrastructure that is failing us…..chuq
Can we get rid of anything (anyone) else that’s failing us?
Probably not….stuck with them until next electio….chuq
I am not a strong financial political junkie and I truly should be given my more traditional “old republicanism” roots.. and preferring to balance the deficit rather than giving the country a damned tax cut for votes and kicks & grins. But I like this breakdown, chuq.. and I trust you got it from a good source as you usually do. There is a HUGE amount of this we don’t readily see.. like the justification from the branches for wanting this additional items… and who told Trump to give them more than they requested. This is only PART of the story. But good post. Now I have a thousand other questions. 🙂
OMB is the figures…….I agree the tax cut was to gain votes in the low IQ bunch…..chuq