Posted on 10/17/2013 7:20:43 AM PDT by SkyPilot
The heads of the world’s largest defense companies are working to reclaim their clout in Congress after failing to push lawmakers to tackle sequestration as part of an agreement to end the latest standoff.
The announcement of the deal to reopen the government and raise the nation’s debt ceiling made clear just how far the industry has fallen in its influence on Capitol Hill.
Addressing the Senate on Wednesday, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) touted the accord as a victory for conservatives precisely because it continues sequestration, the automatic spending cuts that have hit the Pentagon and the sprawling defense industry especially hard.
Keeping the cuts in place has “been a priority for me and my Republican colleagues,” McConnell said. “For the first time since the Korean War, government spending has declined for two years in a row.”
McConnell is far from the only Republican for whom the cuts have become a source of pride, despite pleas from defense executives to avert them.
About 100 CEOs discussed the situation Tuesday evening in a conference call organized by the Aerospace Industries Association, which led an unsuccessful campaign last year to stave off sequestration.
The call was led by Northrop Grumman CEO Wes Bush, who also serves as chairman of AIA, along with AIA CEO Marion Blakey and L-3 Communications CEO Mike Strianese, AIA’s vice chairman.
Together, they laid out for their fellow CEOs the contours of what was known about the agreement at the time and concluded that they must “up the volume” in their fight against sequestration.
But the defense industry has few options for battling back against fiscal conservatives and tea party supporters, especially since its executives have historically been uncomfortable taking sides in congressional races or pointing fingers at specific politicians.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
The Pentagon has more than enough money, and should not be immune from cuts. We are wasting our treasure in lives and dollars on perpetual war that gains us nothing but more trouble and which cannot be sustained. History illustrates the financial collapse of every empire that grew beyond sustainability. We are not immune, and we are choking on the ever-accumulating debt.
The ‘defunders’ also were not defunding the real socialized medicine- Medicare. Far bigger socialism than even Obamacare.
Cruz was trying to save Medicare from $500 billion in cuts from Obamacare. Why?
We’ll never cut the other guy’s favorite pork until we cut our own.
Steve King is a good example- ‘Mr Conservative’ (until it comes to ethanol or windmills)
This graph distorts the cuts and makes them look much larger than they really are. You don’t do your argument any favors by using such a plot.
Semper Fi! Cuts in personnel can/should start with a reduction of general officer billets.
Next, consolidate the acquisition/logistics function into one directorate.
Fill new civilian DOD positions on a term contracts, not make them permanent from Day 1. The FDIC does that with about 75% of their current workforce, which was beefed up for the banking crisis.
Contracts were set for 2 years, with an agency option for two additional years. Any extension beyond that must be approved through OPM. You won't see any immediate benefits on the cost side, but you'll certainly bend the long-term cost curve on personnel.
Kinda hard when, even here, there are those think the U.S. are the World Police or the U.N.’s bitch.
I’m sure to get a few of those ‘Const. is not a death warrant’ responses /s
On the other hand, sequestration is the only thing holding Obama in check right now.
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