tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4900303239154048192.post8144099561064588626..comments2024-03-06T06:34:42.881-05:00Comments on EconoSpeak: Defense Spending Increases or Cuts – the Role of Nominal ConfusionUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4900303239154048192.post-57946054632922232009-04-08T08:04:00.000-04:002009-04-08T08:04:00.000-04:00The national security industry runs the military a...The national security industry runs the military and congress in warfare waste spending.<BR/><BR/>There is no market, price deflation is not applicable here.<BR/><BR/>No competition, truth, nor competence for tangibles among the monopsonist buyers and the near monopolist (PAC power) suppliers.<BR/><BR/>We will see if congress can bankrupt the US buyying off the military industrial complex.<BR/><BR/>ilsmAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4900303239154048192.post-35234396416050672862009-04-08T00:22:00.000-04:002009-04-08T00:22:00.000-04:00No need to be disappointed with Obama.His plans ar...No need to be disappointed with Obama.<BR/><BR/>His plans are dead bewfore they leave his desk.<BR/><BR/>The present crisis is all about US defense spending - soon he will have to choose between you eating, or predator drones in Afghanistan.<BR/><BR/>He cannot have both...Hint: he can't have his military budget.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4900303239154048192.post-55329542553369737142009-04-07T22:13:00.000-04:002009-04-07T22:13:00.000-04:00The beast needs fed, 4% don't make the grade. ...The beast needs fed, 4% don't make the grade. To the feeders of the military industrial complex this is a big cut. To me it is way too little.<BR/><BR/>A 4% increase in DoD budget means cuts in the five year plan for many programs.<BR/><BR/>They will blame the cuts for drawing out the acquisitions and overruns however GAO has been following the delays and overruns and there are already reasons beyond cutting budgets.<BR/><BR/>Further, DoD needs a lot more money for personnel costs and as it rises in percent of total other things have to give. Pay raises, longer serving members, higher paygrades, retirement costs, and health care hit DoD just like the rest of the US.<BR/><BR/>Congress is looking to a 3.4% pay raise which will go to the civil servants as well.<BR/><BR/>Also, the expected overruns in the 36% of DoD expenditures that make up R&D and procurement mean that double digits raises are required to put feed in the industrial complex troughs.<BR/><BR/>Inflation in DoD is independent of deflation in the economy.<BR/><BR/>Gates' announcements relative to the Air Force is only cutting a satellite program, the rest may not being upped but is not being cut.<BR/><BR/>The Army is losing Future Combat System to be replaced by something that may be done and work. Money is about the same, maybe better controlled.<BR/><BR/>There is an interesting chart in GAO 09-543T, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09543t.pdf Fig 2 which shows the cost growth in the largest acquisitions. Some of the mid 2000's costs remaining on the major programs are coming due, and there are lots more smaller programs with similar overruns.<BR/><BR/>Double digit inflation is expected with overruns and the stuff is late and unreliable as well.<BR/><BR/>It was referred to as a bow wave when the last adminstration began doubling up the defnes sector's growth.<BR/><BR/>The US will be further indebted if DoD does not get cut.<BR/><BR/>4% increase is not change.<BR/><BR/>I am disappointed with Obama here.<BR/><BR/>ilsmAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4900303239154048192.post-11204597995271168482009-04-07T16:41:00.000-04:002009-04-07T16:41:00.000-04:00The numbers are flying fast in furious and I think...The numbers are flying fast in furious and I think that it's keeping everyone's heads spinning so that no one can get a real grip on what's going on.<BR/><BR/>I kind of feel like I'm watching the world's fast shell game to be honest.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com