[SkyPilot]

During the Obama years, defense spending was cut again, and again, and again.

What most people don't realize is that Sequestration cuts were above and beyond the Obama defense cuts that he had already initiated (and a RINO Congress approved). Sequestration required that almost 50% of all discretionary spending cuts come directly from the Pentagon budget.

During this time, China and Russia were rapidly modernizing their militaries.

The left will argue that per "dollar" of spending, the US still outpaces the spending of China and Russia. But that spending comparison is apples to oranges.

For one, we really don't know what China and Russia acutualy spend on their militaries - we guesstimate.

Secondly, the "dollar to dollar" comparisons are all wrong.

Let's take a simple example. Say the cost to the DoD for a pair of military boots is $200.

Included in that price is paying for safety regulations at plants, union scale wages, costly military spec testing and evaluation, attorneys, and environmental compliance.

The Chinese can produce a comparable pair of boots for their soldiers for less than $20 a pair. They don't care about any of the costs associated above.

Trump is doing all he can to re-fund out military, but in terms of GDP, our military spending is at historic lows.

The public grew tired of the seemingly endless wars and Iraq and Afghanistan. That also seems justified. We weren't trying to defeat an enemy, but win "hearts and minds" of Muslims. We spent billions on their infrastructure.

[SaveFerris]

And at the cost of many of our jobs - The Great Decider really bankrupted the country. sigh

[redlegplanner]

You are on the right track with “The Chinese can produce a comparable pair of boots for their soldiers for less than $20 a pair. They don’t care about any of the costs associated above.”

When one loks at the Defense budgets expressed in “Big Macs”, i.e. normed for cost of inputs, they are much closer. Add in the fact that the Soviets, uhhh, Russians and Chinese are playing in their own backyard, the playing field is pretty level and we have the harder problem.

[vannrox]

@skypilot

Outstanding post. There are so, so many related issues to this subject.

For one, the Chinese are a meritocracy. Which means that if you get below an “A” in class, you would probably sit outside n the rain all day as punishment. While in the United States, an F is considered acceptable for diversity.

For another, everyone in China are trained in the military. Most kids aged 12 can fire fully automatic weapons.

Thirdly, the United States is no longer a land of Republican government, supported by an educated class, that stands for Freedom and Liberty. Instead, we are an oligarchy. China, in comparison is no longer communist in anything but the name. They are a very conservative traditional nation and their laws and policies show this.

Most Americans have no idea the S@@@storm that would be unleashed were armed global conflict with the Chinese would occur.