Senate Majority Leader: “We’re Through” Making Defense a Priority

[Valin]

The Foundry:

Sarah Wallace

August 6, 2013

 

Senator Harry Reid (DNV) made it quite clear that he no longer views defense as a priority: We are not going to be gamed by having the military programs funded at a much higher level than Head Start program, or the National Institute of Health. Were not going to do that. Were through.

 

As Heritages James J. Carafano explains in the Washington Examiner, the Senate Majority Leader blundered when he compared defense funding to failed social initiatives. More importantly, he should understand that defense is more than a social program.

 

(Snip)

 

The U.S. military needs to maintain readiness, but it cannot do so without support from Congress. Our armed forces have already taken significant drawdowns. Defense spending totals less than one-fifth of the federal budget but has accounted for half of total deficit reduction efforts. Meanwhile, entitlement programs dwarf security spending yet continue to be ignored in reducing debt.

 

(Snip)