For the 2023 fiscal year, President Biden requested a massive $813 billion military budget, about a 4% increase from the $782 billion that was approved for 2022. But for hawks in Congress, it’s not enough.
Republicans are largely united in their calls for more military spending than what Biden wants. Republican hawks want the military budget to take inflation into account and add real growth on top of that. Last month, inflation reached 7.9%, a 40-year record high.
Enough Democrats are on board with the idea of giving Biden more money than he asked for that Congress is expected to vote in favor of boosting the budget. Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA), the vice-chair of the House Armed Services Committee, complained about Biden’s proposed military budget, writing on Twitter that “It sucks.”
“If you want to grow the Navy, stop decommissioning more ships than you build,” said Luria, whose district includes Norfolk, Virginia, the home of the world’s largest naval base.
Biden’s $813 billion request includes $773 billion for the Pentagon, and the remaining funds will go toward military spending for other federal agencies, including the Energy Department’s nuclear weapons program.
The Pentagon said it needs the $773 billion to focus on China, which it called the department’s “pacing challenge.” China was also named as the US military’s top “threat” in the 2022 National Defense Strategy, which was recently briefed to Congress.
China is often cited by lawmakers as the main justification to increase military spending. “For the second year in a row, President Biden has submitted to Congress an inadequate defense budget that does not provide the real growth we need to counter China,” Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) said in a statement on the budget request.
If Congress increases the budget, it will be the second year in a row that they give Biden more than he asked for. For the 2022 military budget, Biden requested $753 billion, which was ultimately increased by about $29 billion.
Let’s Go Brandon
This article is about the idiots that want even more.
Trump did the same thing every year he was President. But then, a critical thinker would know that.
President Trump added funds to get the American military back to a readiness posture that declined under POS obama.
US military spending did take a slight dip — nothing substantial, it never got even as low as the 2007 spending, and stayed at more than twice 2002 levels — during the Obama years, when Republicans controlled both houses of Congress. It didn’t really start coming back up until after the Democrats took Congress in 2018.
At no time was the US military insufficiently funded for readiness to do what it does (waste money and lose wars).
At least that was the Don’s story. He also said Obama didn’t treat Israel very well. The Don took care of that too. But if Biden does it, it’s a bad thing? Please don’t tell me you think either is worth a pinch of shit.
The US army is not here to fight wars. Maybe to bully small powers, but it’s primary purpose is to obtain more and more pork. This is apportioned by the Pentagon. But it doesn’t fight.
Enough Democrats are on board with the idea of giving Biden more money than he asked for that Congress is expected to vote in favor of boosting the budget. Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA), the vice-chair of the House Armed Services Committee, complained about Biden’s proposed military budget, writing on Twitter that “It sucks.”
Just like last year. The house committee voted 41 to 17 with 14 democrats joining the 27 republicans to increase the spending by $25 billion. The democrats had a 31 to 28 advantage in committee members, but it still passed easily. In the senate it was 25 to 1. With Elizabeth Warren as the only one to vote against. The other 12 democrats voted for the increase. So yeah, I’d say there are plenty of democrats on board. As usual. There is no fucking difference between the parties.
Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dummer
………”There is no fucking difference between the parties.”……..No doubt.
They’re all looking to burnish their cred with K St. death merchants with an eye on funding and next career. Easily the most comprehensively corrupt political class in human history. There’s no way this can end well for us.
The US stands united against Russia’s irrational aggressions 💪
Speaking of irrational, is this what happens when one falls on one’s head? Going from well thought out comments to being an ignorant troll? Seek help.
Comrade, calm down, please ☮️
Brother, help is on its way:
“With Russia’s war in Ukraine about to enter its eighth week, the U.S. Senate has passed a bill to establish a new military assistance mechanism for Ukraine similar to the World War II Lend-Lease program. If this becomes law, it could lead to a dramatic increase in what has already been a steady flow of weapons, ammunition, and other materiel from the U.S. government to its Ukrainian counterparts.“
Oh boy, more death. You and Biden, two peas in a pod. Are you a shriveled up senile pea too? Sure sound like one.
Why aren’t you attacking some of the blood thirsty, Russian nazis on this forum that wants to level Ukraine to the ground?
That celebrates every dead Ukrainian?
Comrade, you are being hypocritical.
I see plenty that side with Russia but few say such stupid shit as you’ve been saying recently. Consider yourself special. And should I call you Nazi boy or some such thing?
Nope, I’m strongly against the nazi outfit called Wagner.
I’m looking forward to you attacking people that openly advocate for the killings of civilians in Ukraine, it’s sickening.
I’m attacking you and you openly advocate for the killing of civilians. What do you think all that weaponry being sent to the Ukrainian Nazis will produce? Peace?
Yes, it will, indeed.
Once the Wagner Nazis are defeated, it will be peace.
Another idiot willing to let Ukrainians die and pretend it’s for peace.
Here’s a thought. Instead of increasing the Pentagon’s budget, let’s increase the oversight on their spending and look a little closer at the waste and corruption, and maybe even get a real audit.
This is, of course, an obscenity as the child tax credit is ended and people are kicked out of their homes, and Eric Adams stages police raids to throw homeless people’s stuff in the trash.
It would be a lot simpler (and a few people might wake up) if Congress would add another $113 billion in spending to make it a round 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬 to “𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘯𝘥” the country.
I recently saw an estimate of the interest on the national debt as of 2022 that put it at $305 billion. However, the interest rate on the debt was 1.4% (T-bill). If that interest rate goes up by only 1%, the cost of interest will rise to $466 billion. It would not surprise me if we need half a trillion dollars or more, just to pay the interest on the debt in less than 2 years.
The two party system we have is failure, especially when both parties agree on unlimited money for war. We need third parties like Greens and Libertarian to actually have representation if this system will ever change.
As is the nature of the military industrial complex (MIC), the fewer enemies we have and the weaker those few enemies are, the bigger it grows. The MIC must search for and create new enemies where none exist. It’s pretty much unstoppable at this point. Even if the electorate overwhelmingly wanted smaller military budgets, the will of the elite hawkish neo-cons would prevail. Not much of a democracy, are we. And I’m trying to look on the bright side.