House Democrats released a stopgap funding for the US military included a substantial anomaly. While traditionally stopgap funding puts weapons programs on hold, this bill will set aside $1.6 billion to buy a pair of Columbia-class submarines, and also authorizes the Navy to keep funding the incredibly expensive Columbia-class program.
This was one of several anomalies sought by the White House and the Pentagon. The US Navy made it clear that the hugely expensive Columbia program is what they consider their top priority. That’s not to say funding it was a no-brainer.
Funding any weapons program with a stopgap is unusual. $1.6 billion for two submarines may seem a quibble, but it is part of a $109.8 billion weapons program, which is expected to yield 12 submarines that won’t begin patrols until the 2030s.
In a world where nuclear submarines are less and less of an issue, this expensive of a program is very controversial, which is why the Navy is pushing so hard to save it. Stopgap or no, Columbia was always going to be on the chopping block because of the huge costs of Covid-19.
Stopgap funding doesn’t prevent that in the future, and economic necessity probably will keep Columbia near the top of any potential cuts list. That may make including it in the stopgap particularly foolish, because they are paying for orders may never be delivered.
The stopgap was a perfect opportunity to stall funding on this latest weapons boondoggle. Instead Congress is taking Pentagon talk of top priorities at face value and funding them, even though the most expensive programs are always the top priorities.
You know, it is high time for all of us to have a year long tax holiday, refuse to pay taxes. Until money like this is appropriated to fixing our infrastructure, funding small businesses.
The other day I read that the Navy wants to have seven more ships.
We are warring in Africa. Our “footprint” continues to grow. And the President has said when he is re-elected he is coming for Social Security. Just goes on.
Eisenhower was so prescient. I am so frustrated and p*ssed.
What did Eisenhower do as president to nip the MIC in the bud? Nothing.
What did his successor who was amply warned do to stop the MIC from growing? He waged war on Cuba.
What will either Trump or Biden do to rein in the MIC? Nothing.
Not pay taxes? Much taxes are levied by employers and no one can stop that.
No taxes paid? Governments will come and put a lien on your property.
What do you suggest? Just keep on the conveyor? To nowhere?
A general strike would do er….
You don’t need submarines to harass and intimidate defenceless third world countries, which US’s “defence” (offence) and its navy are built for. Russia is generations ahead in sonic and hypersonic missile tech which leaves the US navy obsolete and useless. The army too. A couple of subs with slow missiles and slow missiles anywhere won’t change that. That’s what Putin meant with why Russia had to develop these weapons, it didn’t have to but US aggressively pushed it’s luck and went to far. Like it always does. Look where it got you now. And on top of that, galoping plague, crashed economy and civil war on the horizon.
Couldn’t happen to a better bunch of people, the corrupt US government, sadly the minority of intelligent Americans will suffer.
It began with the discovery of nuclear fission. That was the horse. Nuclear weapons are the buggy pulled by nuclear fission. There is no stopping it.
“$1.6 billion for two submarines may seem a quibble”
How many times do you hear this? Like when someone bitches about the 3.8 billion per year to Israel. It’s always about what a small percentage of our actual expenditures that 3.8 billion actually is but that’s only because we spend so god damn much on frivolous shit it just seems that way. But if you add up ALL those small percentages they become a very large number.