White House Is Firm on Shaking Up Military Spending

[Purveyor]

Source: New York Times

When the Obama administration outlined its plans to cut big weapons programs, some of the military industry’s allies in Congress assumed, as they have in the past, that they would have the final say.

But over the last week, the White House has prodded Congressional leaders to strip several billion dollars’ worth of extra equipment out of a wartime spending bill.

Experts say that effort suggests that President Obama should be able to reshape the Pentagon’s spending practices.

The developments have shaken up the industry. In the past, military contractors have routinely beaten back attempts to cancel weapons programs by lobbying Congress. But Mr. Obama’s popularity and the financial crisis are changing this well-choreographed dance. The White House is trying to demonstrate that when the president says no, he means it.

“It’s the best possible moment politically to exercise this kind of budget discipline,” said Gordon Adams, a professor at American University in Washington who closely monitors military spending.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/07/us/politics/07defense.html?ref=politics

[luvspeas]

1. I feel like I'm watching a snowball slowly roll down a hill...

picking up a little momentum at a time. 100 days and counting. by the end of 4 years, he might be able to clean up the neocons wetdreams and then some. By the end of 8 years - who knows? we might actually get our nation back in the hands of the people! what do we have to do to extend this man's term to 12-16 years?

[Gregorian]

2. Tiger by the tail.

This should make for some excitement. It's hard to know what it even means. With such a huge monster, it probably can't even be contained. It will squish out on place, when restrained in another.

Obama appears to be the man he campaigned as. And I will say this sounds more like fiscal responsibility than anything else I've seen before.

[Triana]

3. I wish he was as openly stubborn on public healthcare (public option) n/t

[MarjorieG]

5. I think he is, but picking his moment.

[gblady]

8. that's what I think, also.....

nt

[ProudDad]

4. This still doesn't explain why the f*ckin

war budget is still increasing.

It should be cut by at least HALF!!!

We don't need no f*ckin huge war machine...

[Kolesar]

6. Murtha...has been weakened politically by a string of federal investigations of contractors ...

I'll take it

***
In the House, Representative John P. Murtha, the Pennsylvania Democrat who has long been the point man for contractors seeking extra money, has been weakened politically by a string of federal investigations of contractors or lobbyists close to him.

[No Elephants]

7. Reshape away! Gobama! No means no!

[Winterblues]

9. Wasn't Obama's Defense Budget the highest in decades?

It says change the way Defense money is being spent but not how much goes for Defense. If the Administration Really wants to Defend America he would put half the Defense Budget towards Cancer research.. Cancer kills far more Americans than wars do..and more die daily from cancer and tobacco related disease than from all terrorist attacks in the USA combined.