Holey shit....a caller on C-span just said what I wanted to say

[zeemike]

And said it so well.
That basically the Military Industrial Complex was a beast that had to be fed and that the gust (from the Heritage Foundation) was purposing perpetual war.
Who ever you were you nailed it brother.

[quaker bill]

1. For roughly 70 years

no politician has ever been able to spend "too much" on defense. It simply could not be done. No politician could survive the charge of being "soft on defense". Thus we have the largest military on the planet. Once you have it, the temptation to use it is far too large.

We as a nation would be far better served by a vastly smaller military. A 50% cut would be a good start.

[zeemike]

2. The answer to the problem is not popular.

But a return to the conscripted military of the past.
We can all see the need for a military but one that is of the people and for the people and by the people. This is not what we have now with a privatized military

[Jackpine Radical]

6. I got my butt thoroughly stomped for suggesting exactly that

a couple of weeks ago.

Here, if you want to review the bloodshed:
http://demopedia.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8825334&mesg_id=8825334

I was a draftee in Vietnam, and I think a draft army has historically been one of the best checks on military excesses. You can maybe get an 18 year-old kid to do almost anything (e.g. My Lai), but you have a lot of trouble convincing the parents to vote for a politician who wants to send their kids into the meat grinder.

[zeemike]

7. Oh I know the dangers of saying what is a reality.

But they somehow convinced a lot of people to buy the All Volunteer military.
What it really did was sell the military to private enterprise.

[madrchsod]

9. you are correct the draft should have been used since 2000....

but we know why they did`t...

[cliffordu]

13. I agree and would go further -

Compulsory military or public service work for two years.

Everyone serves. If you don't like the military, fine, you can work in a free clinic or help rehab limited income housing.

Everyone has skin in the game as a nation. Just like those lousy fucking Swiss.

[Jackpine Radical]

14. Yes, I have long thought that was a good idea.

Combine that with free access to higher education for all who want it and can do the work, and you might have the beginnings of a decent society.

[cliffordu]

15. Yep. Decent.

Good word for it.

[rurallib]

3. Eisenhower wanted to add "congressional" to that term

but was talked out of it.
It would have been so much more stinging and true had he said that.

[zeemike]

4. Eisenhower was a smart man.

And I think probably a genuinely good man that understood the military better than anyone. You would think we would heed his warnings.

[90-percent]

5. Eisenhower

I always like to use the term "military industrial congressional complex" in conversation. I think it makes me look smart and well informed.

Actually, I got it from a guy on Bill Moyers journal, who's name I forgot, that was an expert on the subject and what he said was really impressive. It is the most correct term to describe the beast.

-90% Jimmy

[zeemike]

8. I saw that Bill Moyer program.

He has done some great stuff.

[ensho]

10. kick

nt

[ThomWV]

11. That was a particularly good call, wasn't it!

[zeemike]

12. It was good for me.

Because that is exactly what I would have said had I got the chance....but I probably would have flubbed it and he didn't.
It gives me hope to know that there are people out there that understand things the way I do....without them I would feel nuts.