Deficit Cutters Reject Gates on Shielding Defense BudgetBy Tony Capaccio - Fri Nov 12 05:01:45 GMT 2010
A proposal by leaders of a federal deficit-reduction panel, suggesting as much as $100 billion in defense cuts in 2015, contradicts the goals of Defense Secretary Robert Gates and faces a fight in Congress.
The plan, offered Nov. 10 by deficit panel co-chairmen Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson, calls for canceling a version of Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 jet and ending production of the Textron Inc.-Boeing Co. tilt-rotor V-22 Osprey and a General Dynamics Corp. Marine Corps combat vehicle. It also would terminate a new Army ground combat vehicle that Boeing, BAE Systems Plc and General Dynamics will bid on.The proposed defense cuts reflect lawmakers’ need to rein in defense spending as part of restoring fiscal balance and may provide political cover for Republicans, such as commission member Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, who say military spending shouldn’t be exempt in the national debate, analysts said.
“Republicans are facing the difficult question whether, if we’re serious about cutting the debt, defense spending can be exempted permanently from consideration when it represents the biggest part of the discretionary budget,” said Republican strategist John Ullyot.
“The recommendations have put that debate squarely on the table, and have given fiscal hawks much more ammunition than ever on including defense programs as part of the overall budget examination,” Ullyot said.
unhappycamper comment: The F-35 costs around $243 million dollars a pop and the MV-22 costs around $100 million a pop.
Good move. :thumbsup:
If only we could get rid of those $5+ billion dollar Zumwalt-class destroyers and that new $40 billion dollar aircraft carrier.
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