Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), the ranking Democratic member on the House Financial Services Committee, is blaming military spending for the recent S&P move to downgrade the U.S. credit rating. Unlike some DoD officials, Rep. Frank is not blaming the cost of military pay and compensation, his issue is with the amount of money spent to on being “the military policemen of the world.” Frank told CBS’s “The Early Show” that reining in defense spending is “going to be my mantra.”
The Congressman says the credit reversal “could change our thinking” and the influence the military has in politics. According to Frank, the military is a logical target for spending cuts and $200 billion could be saved by reducing the U.S. military presence in the world.
Getting the U.S. military out of the role of ”world policemen” isn’t going to happen anytime soon. This means that military pay and compensation may end up being the logical “soft” target for Frank’s military spending cuts.
Frank is an idiot. It’s the big budget Defense contractors reaping all the money. Not the average GI. They need to leave the issue of retirees and uniform personnel benefits alone.
Barney is not talking about the personnel pay issue. What he is talking about is the number of troops that could be brought home if the U.S. did not stick it's nose in the business other countries i.e., at the present, Iraq, Afghan, Pakistan. I agree with your statement, "They need to leave the issue of retirees and uniform personnel benefits alone."
I am a retired Marine and 100% DV, and I have stated in writing to the two Senators, and three House Members that along with any cuts to retirees, and Disabled Veterans pay and benefits do the same to congressional pay and those that are retired from congress. We in the military, Retirees and Disabled Veterans have donated and made our sacrifices. Now it is time for the politicians to pitch in, but not with there mouth. Semper Fidelis. Blackcoat.
"Getting the U.S. military out of the role of “world policemen” isn’t going to happen anytime soon. This means that military pay and compensation may end up being the logical “soft” target for Frank’s military spending cuts."
Yes they do need to take a cut and contribute. Unfortunately the 27th amendment is in the way, in short they can only adjust pay in an election year. The adjustment, as we all know is not south it is north and keeps going.
But as stated above military pay and benefits are and easy target. Out of the Budget only 20% goes toward military spending. Of the whole US population just under 2% serve, and out of that less than 17% make it to the 20 year mark. So out of that 20% for defense only 20 Million is set aside for military retirement pay. These are the facts they do not look at, and as S&P stated it is the political jockeying that warranted the AA+ rating. So here again is more political jockeying.
As many have stated already the politicians need to have their pay and entitlements cut like our, use the same TRICARE we do, book a flight like we do…
Read his original words, not the headline to this article. He is saying that policy and spending are the problem, nowhere does he blame "the average GI".
And you can bet his pockets are being lined as well.
Why do we think we have to re-build ever country we go into? What other country does that? We need to redirect that spending to our own infrastructure. If the average citizen blew money like our Government, their credit rating would be in the negative. Our military personnel are the only ones within the government with xxxxx.
Japan, Spain, Poland, United Kingdom, France, etc. have yet to pay the USA back from our rebuilding their countries. Why did we not just do to only more than was needed to win the WW!! (defeat then disable to no retalliation). After disabling was complete we should have made our departure allowing each own government to rebuildion.
THOSE RAG HEADS IN THE MIDDLE EAST WILL NEVER PAY BACK WHAT WE SPEND OVER THERE. THE COUNTRY RESPONSIBLE FOR 9-11 SHOULD REBUILD THE TWIN TOWER,
THEN CARRY THE ONES WHO PLANNED THE ATTACK AGAINST THE US TO THE TOP AND PUSH THEM OFF ONE AT A TIME. THAT MIGHT MAKE ANY COUNTRY WITH PLANS OF ATTACKING THE U.S. STOP AND THINK ABOUT IT BEFORE THEY ACT. IT IS
A STUPID MOVE TO SPEND WHAT WE DID OF HARD EARNED TAX
PAYERS MONEY TO REBUILD THE EMBASSY BUILDING BACK IN BAGDAD. NOT ONLY DID THEY GET A FREE BUILDING, THE CONTRACTORS MADE A KILLING. ALSO. OUR GOOD POLITICIANS MADE A CHUNK OFF OF IT IN KICKBACKS.
Barny Frank is not an idiot, it is the people who think that we need to police the world. If we don't get out of the Middle East and leave the Arabs along we will be paying the price for ever! That is a religous deal over there and no millitary solution will work. They have been fudeing for thousands of years and will probably for thousands more.
No, he’s an idiot!!!
yep I agree he is an idiot!
Barney Frank is indeed and idiot. Hopefully the people of Massachusetts will wake up and throw him out on his ear come election time. He almost lost to an unknown last election. It's a pity that he didn't.
If everyone would read my paper on you tube (HOW TO DESTROY THE UNITED STATES MILITARY) I believe it tells a lot. I put no oral comments or music to it because I was hoping people would actually read it and pass it on till it hits a nerve. I'm begining to think people don't care. Not even the ones serving. What a shame. BOB
It's not that they don't care. They're just not interested in the ramblings of a fool. You're not the genius that you think.
This guy should be given a drug test and if positive ousted from his position.
Are you kidding me? What is going on Washington? Washington needs to look at the mistakes they have made…stop blaming the military for all the problems. This is our brave men and women out there defending our country.
Barney Frank and Ex-Sen Dodd are one of the main reasons this counrty is in the shape it is in (what they did for Fannie and Freddie Mac's). For Frank to blame anyone other than himself (or Herself) takes complete gaul. The waste in the Defense Department is not the Contrctors, it is the Bureacrats in the Pentagon tkaing care of themselves instead of the Military community and USA Taxpayers (Lobbist givebacks without investigation)…
100% agree with this comment. Even thou Rep. Frank does not accept any blame for the real estate collapse, it was his lack of oversight that allowed mortgage lenders to put people in houses they could not offered.
Read Frank's words, not the sensational headline. It should read "Defense Spending to Blame " instead of "Military to Blame". The point being that we were spending more than the rest of the world combined BEFORE the post 9/11 blank check was issued. That BEFORE budget was supposed to be able to take on both the USSR and China simultaneously. The AFTER bloated defense "budget" has yet to close the books on Iraq in a war nearly twice as long as WWII. Meanwhile… a lot of people have gotten rich, and they aren't the men and women serving in the military. What we as good citizens need to be asking our congress is, why has there been no declaration of war? Is it because of the limitations on war profiteering that would come in to play under a declared war?
Whoever put the headline on this article has a good career ahead at Fox News.
I agree. The contractors need to be cut and troops need to be used instead.
You are absolutely correct. This Moron is trying to deflect HIS responsibility in the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac disaster for which he and his congressional group were directly responsible. Typical Gay tactic, deflect your shortcomings on someone else.
You may want to rad this again… Frank IS NOT sayingmilitary pay is the problem… that was injected by the blogger. Our JCS are among the ones blaming our pay!
If our President & the rest of our leaders want us to police the world, then the whole Military budget should be paid by the countries we are policing…Also if they don't us in their country, then DON'T go there!!
X2
Hey txkboy
Have you really read the article?
how about our leaders stop worrying about what is going on in all these other nations and take care of our own like closing the borders that the mexican cartels are using to bring the drug war here!!, all of the homeless, those who go hungry and those without medical (for legit reasons, not just because they are too lazy to work), how about all the drug dealers and gangs killing people in our own country that nobody does anything about. How about taking care of our own seniors. Where would this country be without them???? That would be money better spent and the military wont have to suffer bc their retirement and pay is being cut because they went to war as if they wanted to leave their families and everything they cared about behind for 12 months or longer mulitiple times not to mention entire lives being uprooted every three years for a pcs change.
i agree with you 100 percent. i dare to say that if all the politicians lower their own salaries and save up that money, it would be very easy to pay off the debt and economy will be better.
No, it wouldn't. According to the GPO, total spending for Congress (that includes salaries & staff) is $95 million. That's million with an M, not Billion with a B. Cut it out entirely and the deficit wouldn't even notice it.
Still 95M closer to the answer.
I did the math and our Congressmen get $170,000 to $250,000 dollars a year for their salary. Do the math and you will find out that the number is $9 billion dollars and climbing. And that doesn't count the perks which is another $400,000 to $700,000. dollars for each member. Its called jet travel, phone services, multiple offices and employees that each one wants to hire and all those other overhead expenses. Most Congreemen have several offices in each state where their constituents are located. See anything wrong with this picture. And don't tell me I am wrong. I have a Bachelors Degree in Political Science and International Relations. One of the first things we learn is how much money Congress has. Lets cut Congress first.
I am sick and tired of hearing about military cuts and Americans being to lazy to work. Where are the jobs in this country? Until something is done about the lack of jobs, no one has any right to call anyone lazy. And the reason are soldiers are deployed 12 times or more is because America doesn't have the draft anymore. So the same men our heroes continue to be recycled, re-injured, and ultimately maimed for life more often than not.
So unless you have served in the Armed Forces then shut your mouth about our boys who do serve. If you can't support our troops then get in front of them and take the heat.
Isn't that the truth. I have putting that on here for ages. I don't think anyone is listening, but if we keep it up, who knows maybe it will get someones attention. Don't give up !!
Hey you got my vote if you want to run for office.
Roger that sgtbyrdswifey. I agree wholeheartedly. It's pretty amazing how far off track these things get after 205 comments. Of course you had the advantage of being number 2 but from your call sign and the fact that you able to think logically and communicate in full sentences, I believe you are a military wife. Thanks for your post.
Perhaps if we build a wall, like in China or the one that was in Berlin, would that close our borders and keep the drugs out? No, the drugs will continue to be brought into the U.S. Have you ever heard of supply and demand, as long as our country has a demand for drugs we will have drug dealers selling.
Barney Frank is at it again. The perpetual Democrat scare tactic. He usualy tries to balance the budget on the backs of military personel. Check his record since he's been in congress.
Barney Franks and Bill Clinton are the reason for the collapse of the economy in 2008. President Bush and John McCain both warned congress that the Fannie Mae & Fannie Mac were on the way to being broke. The reason was Bill Clinton letting anyone buy a home regardless of their income. Lender were told not to verify poor people income and/or their credit score. The Federal Government should repeal all the Welfare laws. If you have a history of been a non productive person, no welfare benefits. 11% of the 2011 budget goes to non productive people in America.and what more shocking that 16% of the budget is for Social Security payout. We hard working American and our employer paid Social Security to Government for years and years. I and my employer have been paying Social Security since 1952.
OH come on and be real. Bush Tax cuts, an unfunded drug program and two unjustified wars created the mess we are in now. Were are the job's Republicans? One decade of Bush tax cuts shows us that it is NOT working. Give it up.
Hey Moose,
Lets not forget about LIBYA, That is Obama's unjustified war and he didn't even ask Congress before he sent the bombers in. but he don't have to, he's Obama
Yeah Mike, Lets not forget those weapons of mass destruction that G.W. went after. As I remember it, he attacked unprovoked (kinda like Pearl Harbor) oh right, Taliban did strike us on 9-11.But they were not in Iraq. He's G.W
That's right Chunkie 'D', it was the Taliban wasn't it and Iraq was abiding UN mandates right? Are you stupid, check your history before you make yourself look even more stupid!
So Mike how many troops did Obama send to Libya? How many contracts did Cheany, UM I mean Bush, Excuse me again, Haliburton get in Libya? It use to be the troops did KP. Now we have Haliburton doing everything. Since when did we rebuild everything that was destroyed by our military in other countries? Republicans create jobs alright. They create jobs for military contractors. welcome to the new oligarchy VIA Republican Party.
In Washington, the mantra of the right is “cut spending.” Again and again, people point out that these cuts must come from Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the military, but only the latter provides any cause for pause. No one seems concerned that the rest of the cuts are at the expense of the poor and elderly. This is balanced by a steadfast refusal to increase taxes on the rich. The fact that they can keep a straight face while they make the argument for balancing the budget by the sacrifice of only the poor tells you how far we have come. http://www.h4pj.org/activist/081511.php
Get the facts straight. G.W. first bailed out the banks with 95 mil. But before that Billy boy balanced the budget and even had a surplus. No one held a gun to any bankers head and made them make loans. If I made bad business decisions like that, I'd just plain be out of business…
Again Chuckie 'D', check you history, your making yourself look more stupid each time you make a comment. The budget has only been balanced one time and it wasn't slick willy who did it, go do so reseach!
LOL@ Sam. Show us where you get your facts and please don't use Rush Limbaugh or FOX news.
The way slick willy “had a surplus ” was he opened the preverbial Lock Box called Social Security and allowed it to be raided. That’s why everyone says Social Security is going broke along with the rest of the country.
Wrong Gil. Reagan RAIDED Social Security to try and offset his huge spending. ever since it has been "raided" by others. Carter did not raid it. Bill Clinton did not have a deficit when he left office. After Bush the deficit was so huge it could not be over come by shifting the books around and borrowing from SS. Bush left the two wars, Bush tax cuts and an unfunded drug program which cause much of the deficit for the next president.
The concept of a LockBox is either meaningless, or silly. The government, unlike the private citizen, is unable to save money. Where should it do so? Invest on Wall Street? That would be socialism pure and simple. So the excess funds that the FICA tax has brought in since the reform in the mid -1980s were lent by the Soc Sec trust fund to the rest of the government, receiving in return government bonds, backed by the "full faith and credit of the U.S. government." It was these bonds that the Shrub exhibited to the world, in a filing cabinet in WV, if memory serves.
The Soc Sec administration has now got to start calling in those bonds. And of course this stresses the government financial position, and gives the Repubs another opportunity to attack the very idea of Soc Sec.
Wrong Gil. Reagan RAIDED Social Security to try and offset his huge spending. ever since it has been "raided" by others. Carter did not raid it. Bill Clinton did not have a deficit when he left office. After Bush the deficit was so huge it could not be over come by shifting the books around and borrowing from SS. Bush left the two wars, Bush tax cuts and an unfunded drug program which cause much of the deficit for the next president.
The concept of a LockBox is either meaningless, or silly. The government, unlike the private citizen, is unable to save money. Where should it do so? Invest on Wall Street? That would be socialism pure and simple. So the excess funds that the FICA tax has brought in since the reform in the mid -1980s were lent by the Soc Sec trust fund to the rest of the government, receiving in return government bonds, backed by the "full faith and credit of the U.S. government." It was these bonds that the Shrub exhibited to the world, in a filing cabinet in WV, if memory serves.
The Soc Sec administration has now got to start calling in those bonds. And of course this stresses the government financial position, and gives the Repubs another opportunity to attack the very idea of Soc Sec.
You need to get YOUR facts strait. Clinton balanced his budget on the backs of the military by dismantling thousands of military units, bases, aircraft & ships.
YOU GOT THAT RIGHT JOHN!! Clinton downsized & downsized more.. Numerous bases were closed.. thousands of military jobs were removed and replaced by civilian workers who got OT + civilian benefits because they joined UAW.. who funds the Democratic Party??? uh duh the unions.. As for everyone else who thinks GW just said attack Iraq for the heck of it.. your bonkers.. It was a similiar scenario just as the recent loss of Seal team 6 due to purposely given wrong information by international leaders.
r u a fucking idiot. sen phil grahm -r-tx had nothing to do with it?? he is the senator that void glass-stegal which gave the govt the job of regulating credit default swaps…this repeal in turn bought down aig. r u that f'in ignorant. when pres clinton left office there was a surplus……
HMmmmm what did G.Wimp Bush do for seven years between Clinton and the recession? Maybe it was Carter or FDR or Wilson!
Your passionate comment has NOTHING to do with the article. You are off point and your political position is, respectfully, out of place.
Where Barney Frank is concerned, he's trying to balance the budget on the CRACKS of military personel.
If America is ever going to survive we have to get rid of the Barney Frank idiots who perpetuate the halls of congress and the senate. Our country is run by the likes of Frank, Henry Waxman, Pelosi, Reid and Debbie Wasserman-Shultz. We were down graded by morons at Standard and Poors. I have no idea why we attempt to educate our selves. Washington is rank with educated people who can't walk and chew gum at the same time. We are guided by baffoons and led by a man who with out his teleprompter is just an empty head with a blank stare. Barney Frank needs to go back in the closet and put sometjhing in his mouth period.
Yeh, the democrats are always trying to scare the people on social security,
the veterans, and the military but I just found out that the House and Senate passed a bill that the president signed on August 2nd Called The Budget Control Act that will cap Veterans Healthcare by $ 2.7 Billion And Reduce Disabled Veterans' Benefits Compensation By $ 1.2 Billion. Go check out businessinsider.com for an article entitled" Here's The Spending The Republicans Want to Cut ( But are too Chicken To say so). They Got Their Information From an Article written By Brian Reidl Entitled " How To Cut
$ 343 Billion From The Federal Budget. He 's A Member Of The Heritage Foundation, A Think Tank Comprised Of a Bunch of rich Republicans Who Do Not appreciate Our VETERANS and want to rake in all their Doh Re Me.
P L E A S E S P R E A D T H E W O R D !!!!!!!!!
Take congress off private retirement and private healthcare, we will be out of debtand even have a surpless. The money that in those plans bring their Social Security to current year and rest can go to Housing Homeless Veterans and seek better treatment for Veterans with PTSD.; Any Veteran that runs for Congress on that platforn will get many Vet VOTES<, we can work from the inside. Call it THE VETERAN PARTY!
As a us soldier get rid of military would be dumbest thing ever. Getting rid of our pay/benefits is just dumb ur gona have a lot of people hating at you. Look at how much u make and then see average soldier pay and see who needs a pay cut. Look at president see who needs pay cut. That's how u get rid of debt. Mess with military pay/benefits have load of trouble in ur hands look at who allows u do ur job safe
Funny thing happened on the way to this forum. I read the Constitution. The military is not only mentioned there but it is mandated. " The Congress shall have power"– " To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriations of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years. To provide and maintain a Navy. To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces." As you can see, the Congress has the power and often abuses this power to threaten cutoff of military funds. This is an extremely effective scare tactic that has been used by the Democrat party to scare us into submission. Don't listen to what they say during their campaign for office. Watch what they do after they get in power and make sure you vote accordingly. VOTE the old crooks out of office. You can tell who the crooked politicians are. they have a D. or an R. in front of their name and are in office now. I'm the regular crew chief, and this is my OPINION.
Actually, it's not mandated – "Congress shall have the power to." means they CAN, not they MUST.
Actually, as used, "shall" means that the responisibility belongs to theh Congress, as opposed to the President
It is not the military that decides to police the world. It is the politians in Washington DC who direct this and the associated spending. Put the blame where it belongs Mr Democratic Rep.
Let's get rid of Barney Frank and the rest of congress – imagine how much we could save then, in their perks alone!
Here, here!
Barney Frank would rather $crew over the military, 'cause they are an easy target. Yes, there is waste in the DOD budget; but, he wants to attack pay and benefits also! He will not go after the "layabouts" that sit at home, and wait for the mailman to deliver their welfare checks, etc., because that is the kind of people that will always vote to keep POS like Barney in office!
It is time for the military community, and their voting family members to vote people like Barney Frank out! Washington is loaded with this kind of trash!
ABSOLUTELY!!!
Amen, Any non productive person should starve to death, no shelters, they are worthless. If a relative have a health issue that prevent the person from being employed then the family should take care them sure not the Federal Government.
I am a disable veteran and receive a check every month. I cannot work, but I wish I could. I don't feel as though I should starve to death. I gave all my youthful years to the service and I am happy they take care of me in my time of need.
The Military is an easy target as you guys won't speak up! You don't have to be nice to BF – nor actually to Obama even though he is your CIC and the way you insult him? VOTE HIM OUT OF OFFICE! MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO GET absentee ballots and effect your revenge. YOU will be Franks target if you don't!
Thats about as smart as getting rid of police. I have got it!!! You can go hand out flowers in Afghanistan and we will see how long you last…. Duh, military = security and the last time I checked the world has alot of potential threats. Who allows people like this into these types of positions Mr. Frank is exactly the problem in America. Something a 8 year old could figure out he still thinks can work… May god help us all.
We could save billions by closing overseas bases we don't need. See the list at G2mil and you'll agree. Let's hope Franks see that.
I am not sure that we don't need all those overseas military bases. In fact I ask why is it that we defend Japan at the expense of America. All those overseas bases are there to protect different countries or to use for strategic purposes in case America is attacked. So for the countries we defend, they should be paying our country for all of their protection. That's part of a budget improvement and America still controls. We are there to prevent the uprising of WWIII people. Both previous world wars were caused by right wings politics and destroying the middle class. Something TeaBags are adamant to do. Destroy our middle class and push grandma and veterans over the cliff. There will be hell to pay, I assure you.
Oh Brigid,
Really? The teaparty is trying to destroy the middle class? REALLY? If you had said the GOP and Dems were deafening the middle class, I would give your statement some weight. The TEA Party just came into existence a couple short years ago, well after we have seen the middle class decimated by poorly thought out and enacted policies. Given your statement and the reference to grandma and the veterans going off a cliff, the only thing I can assume is that you get all your political info from TV commercials. The TEA Party is here to save this country, not take it down the path of destruction that both the GOP and Dems have started. The TEA party is the freshest breath of air I have seen in politics in many decades. It is what the majority of the public has been shouting for. If we stop chasing our own rainbows and look at what is good for the country, we will finally see the “change” in Washington that we have been waiting for.
As for Barney, he will go after pay and benefits simy because it’s the easiest thing to do.
Typically, you Tea-Baggers talk/"preach" to everybody who disagrees with the "Party" rant, with a memory commensurate with the length of your "tool".
If you're eager to address "time-in-service" with any relative FAIRNESS, to either the Tea-party or the current office of the Presidency, consider directly the fact that the current President has only been in office for a little more than half a term. He is, however, getting the blame for attempts to correct a collection of policies that wrecked havoc on the nation's economy over a span of two terms -that's eight years, my friend.
This President was never "buddy-buddy" with the big-money CEOs & their shenanigans on Wall St.. This President didn't turn a "blind-eye" as corporations sent all the jobs overseas to keep more money in the pockets of corporate CEOs. This President didn't give away "the store" to foreign oil interests like BP, whose greed "blew-off" established safety procedures on that rig in the 'Gulf, to destroy an entire southern economy, not to mention the ecosystems those people's lives depended on. Then, when this President tried then, and continued trying to reach across the aisle, all the Tea party-led GOP wanted to respond with, is "NO". This President isn't responsible for dragging this debt crisis out to the 11th hour anymore than the Tea party or the Republican party are the ONLY fiscally responsible representatives on the Hill.
IF and when the Tea party and the Republican party can stop "foaming-at-the-mouth" and stop behaving like pompous and condescending prima-donas, perhaps they could see their way to conducting national business for the futures of other grandchildren's futures besides their own.
This so called President has done nothing to help the people of this great nation we lie in. It is about time he and people like you quit blaming past Presidents. He is trying to destroy American and is doing a pretty good job of it. His wife the so called First Lady does not like America nor the American People. She said this before. If he is such a good President, why are so many people out of Jobs? I will stop. The change he promised when running for President is not the change the people that voted for him expected.
Big T
Concur with N Terrell. Tea Party has nothing to do with this. In fact, that movement was born because Obama and the Dem Congress rammed a piece of crap down our collective throats and tried to make us like it. That pissed off average Americans so much that they rallied into what is now the Tea Party with the goal of making sure that kind of crap doesn't happen again. Inciedently, that piece of crap legislation rammed down our throats is beign proven to be unconstitutional. That's REALLY bad for any president. The fiscal problems that exist now have nothing to do with the Tea Party. They enacted no policies that's got America where it is so peole should point the finger where it belongs. Repubs and Dems over a period of time from Obama going back to FDR. Unfortunately, Obama exacerbated the debt tightrope we've been on for a long time by increasing spending to a degree unseen in U.S. history — in just over half a term. His policies have not worked, plain and simple. He pushed so hard to pass his social agenda that he forgot about the economy. That my friend does not earn a president a second term.
Coupe06. I refer you to the responses of N Terrell and Aipirate. They have done a fine job of summing up the Tea Party. As for the disparaging remarks, please save them for some other venue. This discussion is not personal. I did not endorse GWB nor any of his policies. I am simply pointing out that we as a people have been disgusted with our government for decades. We finally have a vision of light that we could make a difference and change the way Washington does business. It is Washington ( GOP and Dems) that have carried out those misdeeds you cite. Not the TEA Party. The Tea Party is trying to rein in out of control spending. That is their primary focus. Yes it is comprised of GOP and Dems as well as independents. It is comprised of people who are concerned about their grandchildren as you are. Do you really think that the extra 2.7 TRILLION dollars in debt the Congress and President signed off on is going to help your grandchildren? What about the next time we need to increase the debt ceiling? Do we add another 3 trillion? This has got to stop! What also has to stop are the endless handouts. People need to be responsible for themselves and provide for their families without asking for your neighbors to support their families as well as others. And yes, they need to trim the defense budget as well. Not to the point that we become targets, and not while we are fighting 3 wars. But as a Reservist and a gov’t contractor, I can’t believe the incredible waste in gov’t. It would never fly in the civilian world. I am not advocating wholesale slash and burn cuts, I am talking about using a scalpel and being smart about it. I have heard we spend more than all other nations combined on our military. I haven’t verified it yet, but I’d bet money that it’s not far from the truth. The bottom line for me is that we cut gov’t across the board and that leaves more of my hard earned money in my pocket. That’s money that I can spend or save in my own community. The more money taken from me by the gov’t, the more they direct that money toward their pet projects far removed from my community. It is my money. I should have a greater say over where it goes. That’s called freedom. And THAT is what this country was founded on; freedom and personal responsibility. Any questions?
OBAMA INHERITED: a AAA credit rating; $1.61 gas (as of 12/31/08); 5.4% unemployment; and an 8 trillion dollar debt (accumulated since 1776, that was called “devastating”). 2 and 1/2 years later, we have an AA credit rating, nearly tripled gas prices, 9-10% unemployment & the debt ceiling is 17 TRILLION. Some STILL say this is a good job! Not sure who is scarier Obama or his supporters. NUMBERS DON’T LIE!
"We are there to prevent the uprising of WWIII people. Both previous world wars were caused by right wings politics and destroying the middle class. Something TeaBags are adamant to do"
Brigid, I think you need to check your History books on this one. It was not the right wings that got us into both previous World Wars. For example, in England Chamberlin was not right wing but more of a liberal, live and let live, that is why Hitler was able to expand and that Europe went into his hands. Only after Churchill came into office did they have a leader that could possibly stop Nazi expansionism. In the US it was FDR that brought America into the war and asssited England, not until after Japan attacked us did the US declare war. So I really do not get your point which is obviously fiction and not credible.
There is something to be said on both sides of the aisle. Throughout history, nations have paid stronger ones to defend them from their enemies. It is only the United States who pays other countries for the "privilege" of defending them. This is @ssbackwards.
Brigid, I think Teaparty and Monk miss the point. Monk seems to think FDR and Chamberlain (the liberals) started WWII. I believe it was Hitler and the ruling Japanese Military that started the war and they were certainly right wing. Teapartpatriot thinks that the teabaggers will save this country. Admitedly, the Dems and the Repubs need to get their act together, but the teabaggers have formed an alliance with the extreme right of the Republican party that seems to want to hand everything without question, to the wealthy elite. That sounds like an attack on the middle class to me.
Coupe06. Just a few more points regarding your comments. You claim this President was never buddy-buddy with big money CEO's and Wall Street. Come again? How is it he is able to raise more money than God to run a campaign? You don't think there are wealthy Dems out there running corporations? Must be all those $5.00 and $10.00 donations he received from the swooning masses. He didn't turn a blind eye as corporations sent jobs overseas? And he has done nothing that I can see to get those jobs back. We have one of the most onerous corporate tax burdens in the industrialized world and he has done nothing to change that. He can't. It would ruin the great socialistic American experiment. He didn't give away the store to foreign oil interests? What has he done to change the status quo since he arrived on the scene? He tries to reach across the aisle on every issue? That's simply propaganda. HE formed a bipartisan commission to reach concensus on the debt ceiling and HE rejected their recommendations. He was told by the S&P that we needed to trim $4 trillion dollars from the budget and when Harry Reid proposed $4 trillion dollars in cuts in his bill
Chuck. Save the country? That's a bit over the top. But I do think they can help in a big way. You seem to agree with me that the Dems and GOP are both to blame (at least you're heading in the right direction) and yet when the only viable fiscally conservative, reign in the spending option arrives, you dismiss it because they are aligned with the extreme right wing of the GOP. Your are watching way too much liberal TV Chuck. The TEA Party came about as a revolt against the massive bailouts that were started under GWB and perpetuated by Obama. The TEA Party is comprised of GOP, Dems and Independents who want to reign in the spending. There is no social agenda. Their sole purpose is to promote fiscal conservatism in government. By the way, who received all that money given to these large corporations? The CEO's, AKA the wealthy elite, of the corporations that were bailed out. Who received the TARP funds? The CEO's of the banks and Wall Street firms that helped to get us in this mess in the first place. Who received the money that bailed out GM and Chrysler at the cost of the taxpayer? The CEO's! Do you recall the commotion of the bankers being paid bonuses with the TARP funds because they were afraid of loosing their talent? Did Obama try to stop the flow of cash to these CEO's? No, he continued to funnel billions to the wealthy elite. So given that we have a GOP and DEM president funneling billions to large corporations how can you say the TEA Party has anything to do with giving away the store to the wealthy elite? I can't blame the extreme right wing of the GOP from endorsing the TEA Party. Fiscal conservatism is right up their alley. But that doesn't mean that the TEA Party embraces them as well. Sounds to me that you've been prejudiced by the sound bites presented on the nightly news shows by the liberal MSM.
Now what about all those poor soles who went bankrupt and had their houses foreclosed on. Did the GWB bail the middle class homeowner out? Did Obama provide any real relief from foreclosure. Once again, neither champion the middle class. How about small business? Did either the GOP or Dems bail out small businesses that were/are having a tough time. Small business is where most of the jobs are in this country. It is where the recovery will come from. This should be a main target. But no, they simply let them struggle and fail. What about Obama's stimulus spending? Did that go to the middle class/small business owner? Once again the answer is no. It went to "shovel ready" projects and the large corporations that were ready to scoop up that money (and their wealthy elite CEO's). I bet if the government ever gives us a list of who got that money it would show that it went mainly to those that provide large contributions to the Dems. I've been around long enough to know how that game works. So I ask you again, who is the champion of the middle class? The Dems, the GOP? Once again, neither.
So I ask you, what is the definition of insanity (I know you know this one) It's doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Are you going to vote Dem again this year? If you do then you are telling me that you support all that money going to the wealthy elites. If you vote GOP you are telling me the same thing. So which is it? The same old thing or cutting government spending. There hasn't been any real difference between GOP and Dems for some time. They both want to spend the money. How about trying a different tack and voting for a different "change" in Washington.
The only way to effect change is by freeing the middle class from a burdensome tax system and burdensome government regulation.
I apologize about the length of this post but I don't apologize for my passion on the issue. We need to change Washington! We have been shouting from the roof tops for years that Washington needs to change. We can keep doing what we have been doing or we can elect people that pledge to cut government spending. And that my friend is the point!
Finally somone who understands what Barney Frank is talking about. I don't think he is attacking the military at all. He has been a pretty good supporter of the military in the past. He's just saying we are spending a lot of money sending troops all over the world for indefinite periods of time and we can't afford it and its not always our job or should be. Also, its only part of the problem, not all of the problem and its a problem for troops and their families as well. We could cut some deployment costs and have money to spend on better outfitting troops and taking care of them anfd their families and actually improve our defensive posture by protecting our borders.
If you close the bases; where do the men go? We have been short of military personnel ever since Clinton got rid of 800K in the 90's. That is why we are forced to use the Reserves and, probably illegally, the State National Guard units. Besides that, the biggest single part of the IRS pie chart is entitled Community Development and other social programs at 36% of the budget.
I will agree on theat we need to push the goverment to get us out of these places we are at and I mean Korea, Japan ect! The other part is the World Police role that our goverment seems to want the military to do. I see that more than several people ahve posted about that. I am sure we could save billions by bring troops, civilians back to the U.S.
I can understand how we can save money, however have you considered the impact of closing bases, military personal out of work and on unemployment, is this the answer? That is the answer frank has wanted for years, he is not a supporter of the American service man, he wants you unemployed.
Put those troops to work securing our borders.
Fair comment, but if you were to bring all those troops, civilians and family members back to the US, where would you put them?
They need housing, schools, jobs (for family members) , doctors, dentists, hospitals, shopping malls etc.
Those things must be in place BEFORE you bring the people back.
While you are bringing them back, you need to maintain housing, schools, jobs and medical treatment centers for those who haven't yet moved.
No doubt you would save money in the long term, but the cost in the (not so) short term – both construction costs and dual-manning costs would be very high indeed.
When Gen. Jones put forward his plans for a drawdown in Europe and in Asia, I (and no doubt many others) waited for signs of the massive construction program in the US.
Just as well I didn't hold my breath while I waited.
He is not proposing to cut military personnel numbers and pay. He is proposing to stop spending so much money on meaningless wars.
And then, once we are no longer in an active, war, what do you think he will do about manning levels?
Ah but the ranks are being Culled. All of them.
Ranks are being culled. The main push for that is coming from the tea party/republican base calling for the largest cuts across the board. Supporting huge govt. cuts and thinking we, as govt., won't be spared from those cuts is ridiculous.
Barney Frank >>> Freddie and Fannie. need I say more about his message. The military budget is a small percent of the amount of money spent. What is it with Liberals. Why do they always go after those who help keep them free to say stupid things.
READ THE LAST 2 SENTENCES OF THE ARTICLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i QUOTE "Getting the U.S. military out of the role of “world policemen” isn’t going to happen anytime soon. This means that military pay and compensation may end up being the logical “soft” target for Frank’s military spending cuts."
LOOKS TO ME LIKE THE DUMB ASS IS GOING AFTER THE MEAGER PAY OUR MILITARY MEN AND WOMEN ARE PAID AND WHAT EVER BENEFITS THEY HAVE…. UNTIL CONGRESS CUTS THEIR OWN PAY AND OR BRINGS OUR TROOPS HOME FROM WORLD POLICING DUTY THEY NEED TO SHUT THE FU%K UP AND LEAVE OUR TROOPS PAY AND BENEFITS ALONE…..
The only people talking about cutting all programs, (except tax cuts for the rich), are the Republicans. The sentence you quote says "may" and that was the opinion of the author, Not Frank. Frank has propose wage increases in the past. gforce
gforce- absolutely right!
That's a biased and baseless, in this case, opinion of the article writer. Nothing to do with Frank. If we get out of our two unfunded wars, Frank will have already done what he's set out to do AND we won't be in harms way as much. How is that a bad thing?
Agree! But with caution.
Every round fired is expensive, as is every MRE, all imported. Then, too, there is the air conditioning cost in those hot Middle East countries. There is much that our military could be accomplishing in the USA, from border protection to infrastructure improvement.
Define meaningless. Are we safer now than you were before 9/11? This same "logic" was heard before, during, and after WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Bay of Pigs, Somalia, etc. Sometimes we're right and sometimes we're wrong. My mantra is to see that people like Barney the Dinosaur never get elected to any public office again.
Frank is outrageous! The reason for the debt….$3trillion taken from the surplus of Social Security and put into the general fund with IOUs and now those IOUs are "debt" that can't be repaid. Also, $1Trillion to bail out the banks and another $1Trillion to try and stimulate a failed economy. I don't see any defense debt in that $5Trillion borrowed. Frank will join the TEA PARTY idiots on this idea.
not to mention about $1T helping to keep Euro banks afloat.
What about all the money given to the UN? Or to terrorist countries who use it against us? How many weapons can they purchase from the millions we send them when we could do far better with the $ and stop some of them in their tracks?
The last cut should be to the military. First should be the UN, second is to stop handing money, etc., to illegals and finally as foreign aid. Once these are out of the way, then we cut govt. spending by deleting all the useless and unneeded departments they have – with people paid to do nothing.
Par for the course for Blarney Frankers. He always has his head somewhere dark and confined. He has brain damage due to a lack of oxygen. What is with MA that they continue to vote for the likes of him and Kerry?
With all that is going on in the usa, our people should be first on the list for gov. hand outs. the other county,s should be at the bottom. we send money more in other counties then for our own. gov. pay and raises should stop until the spending is stopped. not with our people but with gov. and other counties.
For Obama the military is an easy target. When you don't know what you're doing it's easy to pick the military to take the cuts. That's a big part of our budget expenses, so, for the "simple mind" that's what has to go. If Obama was really concerned about cutting expenses then why did he give his staff a big pay raise? Ask them to take a cut, not our military. If you want to cut military spending, start with the contractors who are selling us $500 hammers, etc. Those military contracts is where the real spending is happening, not the soldiers' pays.
Why should anyone be sitting around waiting for a hand-out from the government? They would get up off'n their butts and do something worth getting paid for. If they have real physical limitations or have worked hard all their lives then they can use the benefits from Social Security. There are groups all over the country that teach people how to fake their way onto the system. They then go out and work for cash which they don't report on their tax forms. The sad thing about this sorry fact is that people talk openly in Social Security offices about how to beat the system.
So I go back to my premise that nobody should be sitting around waiting for a handout.
First, politians get us in to wars and then complain that the war spending is out of site? Bull…
It's overspending across the board that has us in financial straits, and it has been going on for decades. Congress and the Senate force weapons programs down our throats that we don't want to protect jobs in their districts. Free healthcare for illegal aliens, free lunch and breakfast at schools, and every other social program under the sun. They start a program, and borrow the money to fund it. Years later they raise taxes to fund it and to pay back the IOU's then the repubs lower taxes without cutting the programs. After WWII and Vietnam they absolutely gutted the military. Congress is looking to do it again, but they're not going to be able to. This war is going to last a while.
Overspending has been a problem for many years and our military programs should not be cut. Individuals in Congress make good money, so why not start with lowering their pay and programs.
I am amazed at the amount of people who leave comments who can't see beyond the word Democrat. They automatically start spouting off garbage because a Democrat said something. If a Republican would have said the same thing, we would see garbage from the opposite direction.
Get a clue, folks. We were on our way to a balanced budget before two things – the WARS and the Bush Tax Cuts. If we get rid of both, we are back on our way to a balanced budget.
You must not be in the military. Republicans would not try to cut our pay like the Democrat always do. I was in the military under Clinton and his reductions of the military litiraly cause people to die. We did not have the money to buy parts for the air craft. We had to take parts off other air craft, which is normal but not to the extent that was going on with Clinton. We got a 12% pay raise from President Regan and the economy was great(under a Rep). As for the tax cuts. All the major companies are moving to Ireland because their tax rate for large corporations is 12% while the United States tax rate is 35%. We are losing billions of tax revenue because we tax to much. We have the second highest taxes in the world. The wars agree with. I won't say get a clue, but I will say to do more research.
Hello…..anyone home there in your brain cells? You're 180 out there.
I am also amazed – no, I guess saddened – that somebody in the military – and I assume that Angie is in the military – can be so short-sighted and knee-jerk rabid. There we go with the WARS and Bush again. You would be doing yourself a favor if you would learn some relevant history and wise up just a bit. If our 20th century American leaders thought like you do, this would not be the USA, I garontee, like the Cajuns say. It would be Westland of the Third Reich, or the USSSA – the United Soviet Socialist States of America – or something equally repugnant. I have seen some of our enemies firsthand – have you?
Ace, can you please explain how that is true? You've said a lot but I haven't seen any facts or anything. You're just speculating.
Your a Democrap right?
What a fool you are. You most likely don't pay any taxes yourself. As a working person, I'm tired of paying for those thta refuse to get off their *sses and go to work and carry their fair share of the burden. Secondly, when the military purchases a piece of military equipment, it puts/keeps people employed and they in turn pay taxes. In addition the US Gov't in the end owns and operates the equipment and at leasts gets a product in the end. Food stamps and welfare only get wasted for the most part. I have seen the abuse personally.
But dear Angie, your solution requires me to distribute my wealth to others b/c they do not work or will not work or want hand outs. Tax cuts mean I pay less to those who do nothing. The wars should end and we should pay no taxes except as we consume or the fair tax. Take away control from Repubs and Dems and limit them to a balanced budget amendment and mimit the politicians to one six year term for the House, Senate and President. No campaigning on my dime with Air Force One.
Frank saying anything though about waste is a joke after Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the Dodd/Frank Act.
Brian
Take congress off private retirement and private healthcare, we will be out of debt and even have a surpluss. The money thats in those plans bring their Social Security to current year and rest can go to Housing Homeless Veterans and seek better treatment for Veterans with PTSD.; Any Veteran that runs for Congress on that platforn will get many Vet VOTES<, we can work from the inside. Call it THE VETERAN PARTY!
Be very careful about wishing for a balanced budget amendment. To a liberal that just means spend more and then they are REQUIRED to raise taxes in order to pay for it.
Bush is the reason me and my brothers and sisters are making what we make now. When I joined in '96 an E5 was making less than an E1 is making today….BAD BUSH! Shame on you for taking care of us soldiers!
You don't know WTF you're talking about. I went in the service in '71, retired in 2008. You think the pay is tough now, try living on 160 bucks a month, even back then it was crap. It wasn't until Ronnie Reagan came in that the military got a decent shake at all. Phuck you liberals. You're the problem, not the solution.
I went in the service in 68. It was hard to pay the bills on$160 bucks a month. If you were married like me your wife had too stay with her parents cause you couldn't afford a house and utilities.
Take congress off private retirement and private healthcare, we will be out of debt and even have a surpluss. The money thats in those plans bring their Social Security to current year and rest can go to Housing Homeless Veterans and seek better treatment for Veterans with PTSD.; Any Veteran that runs for Congress on that platforn will get many Vet VOTES<, we can work from the inside. Call it THE VETERAN PARTY!
Thank god for you Angie , I have never in my life see so many veteran and soldier willing to give up their retirement pay, They need to check out who has given them the best pay raises, crsc and the off set of their retirement may and their social security, People plaese do come checking before you lose your retirement pay, and your crsc pay. my god you guys has this all wrong.
What a phukkin' dickweed you are. You've had it so good in the military, but you've never seen it when it truly was tough. You've sucked down the liberal Kool-Aid your entire life, and you're likely just a sunshine patriot at that. All of those, like YOU, who love O'drama and biyatch about Bush do so only because you have two brains cells firing across a spirochete.
PissOnThemAll and you should stop drinking tea party kool aid.
I agree about the party bologna.
However, the wars and the tax cuts don't even scratch the surface of the cost of medicare/medicaid.
Truthfully, if our country wants to be fiscally strong and responsible we need to figure out a way to halt the inflation of medical costs. That is really where the buck is, not the military and not in tax cuts.
You should wise up!! Or take an economics 101 class – you tell me why this administration is spending 3x the amount of the last republicans deficit year. 2001 we had a 5.5T deficit in 2009 we had a 10.2T Deficit that becomes 4.7T in 8 years. We are not even at the end of 2011 and our deficit is 14.5, that becomes 4.3T in less than 3 years. You can't get away from the numbers, if the Dems get another 4 years there on track to spend 3x what the last administration did and I think everyone will agree that the republicans spent too much. That is why they got ousted in 2006 and 2008. It's really not Dems Vs. Republicans it is Politicans Vs US Citizens and the spending has got to stop!!!
Thanks for reading, and thinking before you reply. The deficit solution will likely mean every budget item is subject to cuts. No sacred cows should be spared.
The roots of the present deficit began with Reagan. His and other presidential administrations that boosted military pay, and deservedly so, likely did so by borrowing and increasing the debt. It is the real cost of putting warfighters in boots. Read history. The Marines that survived the flag raising on Iwo were brought home to raise $ for the war. The gov't doesn't do that anymore. The Repubs borrowed $ to fight Gulf, Afghan, and Iraq wars and did tax cuts.
Did you forget the fall in the economy (you can really see by researching the history of the NASDAQ) that started before the end of Pres Clinton's reign…followed by 911.
you've forgotten 9-11 the world has changed,it's our military that allows you to spout your garbage! Ex Vietnam,desert storm,iraqi freedom vet
Take congress off private retirement and private healthcare, we will be out of debt and even have a surpluss. The money thats in those plans bring their Social Security to current year and rest can go to Housing Homeless Veterans and seek better treatment for Veterans with PTSD.; Any Veteran that runs for Congress on that platforn will get many Vet VOTES<, we can work from the inside. Call it THE VETERAN PARTY!
Read more: http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2011/08/mil…
MilitaryAdvantage.Military.com
Another clueless lib still trying to blame Bush after almost three years of failed Obama policies.
The problem with the critique of any tax cuts causing deficits is it ignores that tax revenues were at an all-time high, in large measure because of the economic growth the tax cuts contributed to. In 2005 for example, revenues confounded the experts by surging $274 billion above forecasts. That's almost 15 percent and it happened again in 2006. The Treasury Department's recent survey shows that tax receipts were up by $137 billion, or more than 11 percent, just for the first seven months of fiscal year 2006. After the Bush Taxcuts of 2001 and 2003 took effect, taxes collected by the government rose $800 billion dollars, according to the Office of Management and Budget and 8 million jobs were created, according to Labor Department statistics. Initially the deficit swelled to $400 billion but by 2008 it narrowed to $160 billion. Taxes collected by the government increased from $1,800 billion to 2,600 billion (or $800 billion, recouping the original cost of $400 billion).
The Tax Foundation estimates that of tax filers reporting income of more than $1 million a year, about 80% have business income and that more than 60% of millionaire income is either business or investment income. So about two of every three dollars raised would come directly out of business coffers—i.e., from the capital that businesses need to expand their operations.
Tax payments by millionaire households more than doubled to $273 billion in 2007 from $132 billion after the tax rates were cut in 2003. The number of tax returns with $1 million or more in annual reported income doubled over that period thanks to the strong economic rebound. Tax payments by millionaires also increased dramatically after the Reagan and Kennedy tax rate reductions.
This means that corporate income tax receipts were up nearly 30 percent. While individual income tax receipts had increased by 10 percent in what has been dubbed a "revenue tsunami".
In 2006 tax revenues grew at about 11% and taxes were over 18% of the economy, higher than the 40 year historical average.
In the words of the Wall Street Journal, this is "the largest two-year increase in tax revenue collections, after adjusting for inflation, that has ever been recorded."
In 2003 the federal budget deficit was $378 billion or 3.5 percent of GDP. By 2006 the deficit had shrunk to $248 billion or 1.9 percent of GDP. On 24 Apr of the 2007 tax season the US Treasury took in 48.7 billion dollars and they report that tax receipts are up about 9 percent from the previous year. This lowered the federal budget deficit to only $142 billion dollars or about one percent of the GDP by years end. Let’s put this in to perspective. By 2008 and 2009 Medicare and Medicaid consumed 16.2% of the GDP. Here we are quibbling about a deficit that is only about one percent?
Now, the deficit of 2008 that the Democrats used as a platform to get elected was about a trillion dollars. How convenient for liberals that Americans forget that it included about 800 billion dollars for an economic stimulus package. Now let’s compare this to the budget of the first year of the Obama administration. With that budget the deficit was about 23% of GDP for the first year but only generated revenues of 18.4% of GDP. If a trillion dollar deficit, including stimulus plan, was the Democrats reason for us to not elect another Republican then why were Democrats passing a budget that will more than double our deficit. How is it that Obama can say, of the Bush budget, that "We cannot and will not sustain deficits like these without end." and then turn around and create an even bigger deficit?
Lower taxes to increase wealth was an economic tactic that was even understood as far back as the nineteenth century when Andrew Jackson said “Every diminution of the public burdens arising from taxation gives to individual enterprise increased power and furnishes to all the members of our happy confederacy new motives for patriotic affection and support”.
Reducing taxes, historically, has driven up federal revenue. In the 1920s, Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge dropped the top tax rate from 70 percent to 25 percent; revenue rose from just more than $700 million in 1921 to $1.1 billion by the end of the 1920s. During the Coolidge/Harding years, the so called “rich,” who then made about $50,000, went from paying about 45 percent of all tax revenue to pouring in more than three-quarters of all the cash the federal government collected. During Reagan’s years, the top 5 percent paid 37 percent of all taxes; today, they pay 57 percent (so no, the tax bills for “the wealthy” didn’t go down during the Bush years, they went up — by $100 billion in 2005 alone).
Ironically taxation does very little to increase or decrease the percentage of taxes being generated. Since 1950, no matter where their tax rates have been, from as low as 28% to as high as 91%, the governments take stays at about 19.5% of GDP. The difference is that with high tax rates the GDP ends up less and the tax revenues are correspondingly less. What this equates to, for the citizen/consumer is that they have less money for themselves. http://www.hoover.org/publications/digest/3065346…
Even the demi-god of modern liberalism (JFK) understood this very basic economic principle when he implemented a tax cut that went into effect in 1964 just after his death while Lyndon Johnson was president. The tax cut reduced the top marginal tax rate (income over $400k) from 91% to 70% and the bottom marginal rate from 20% to 14%. This spurred economic growth that lowered unemployment from 5.3% to 3.8%. Kennedy explained the tax cut in 1962 while addressing the Economic Club of New York: "The final and best means of strengthening demand among consumers and business is to reduce the burden on private income and the deterrents to private initiative which are imposed by our present tax system, and this administration pledged itself last summer to an across-the-board, top-to-bottom cut in personal and corporate income taxes." "It is a paradoxical truth, that tax rates are too high today and tax revenues are too low and the soundest way to raise the revenues in the long run is to cut the rates now." Kennedy, just like Bush, recognized the possibility of deficits at the beginning of the tax cut. Kennedy asserted that there are two kinds of deficits: a chronic deficit of inertia and a temporary deficit of transition. The first is a sign of weakness and the second “reflects an investment in the future”.
So please get your facts right Angie and get off the Blame Bush train of opportunity. Try learning something about economic history and stop getting your facts from the DNC and moveon.org
The Defense budget, # 3 or 4 item in the budget (depending on how you count), and the largest of the discretionary spending, has doubled since 2000. There is going to be no way to balance the budget without cutting Defense. We can debate how, what programs, how much of each, etc, but the bottom line is Defense spending is going down.
Retiree, I agree. We simply cannot afford to ignore a spending area of the military's size. Congress can start by closing all of the bases and facilities that the military has requested to be closed, stop forcing production of unwanted weapon systems, and cease politically motivated pressures to spread weapon systems development over many states. Beyond that, reform to the generous retirement system is both essential and inevitable. Military members should react by proposing practical, doable, reform rather than blindly opposing any changes.
Yoy're partially correct. However, the cuts you mention and the release of the tax rate reductions of the Bush administration amounts to about 1/3 of the "Deficit". That's "DEFICIT". So, even if you could jsutify us walking away from the wars (that will never happen-maybe in 5 years) and even if you could get the Republicans to agree to rollback the tax breaks, you will still have to cut Social Security and Medicare to make an impact on the "DEFICIT" I emphasize "DEFICIT" because noone has talked about the "DEBT" yet, the interest of which has just increased by $100Billion per year due to the downgrade.
We need REAL CHANGE. Like, get rid of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Agriculture and Department Energy.
We need to START OVER! If we don't, well, we will, one way or another. If our debt downgrades another point, we won't be able to keep the Military up to a point that will keep the Chinese out of our borders.
You might want to remember the last president that drastically cut defense spending (Clinton). One of the results of those cuts was the 9/11 bombing (according to the 9/11 report). Short sighted libs like you equate defense to aircraft carriers and f22 fighters but it also includes things like Homeland Security.
Besides that even tho the defense budget has increased it still is only about 4% of GDP which is historically low (it was 10% in 1970) http://blog.heritage.org/2008/03/28/defense-spend… . By your logic if you increased your personal income from $50k to $150k you should still only be allowed to drive a Yugo.
they all need to start with there pay and the goodies they get. we the people pay them
AMEN Brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yip, we need to cut their pay and furthermore repeal the law that gives them an automatic pay-raise every year. I haven't seen a raise on my Military retirement, Disability Comp (Service-connected) for the last 3 yrs, while they have gotten a raise for just sitting on their fat arses while they think of ways to screw with the Military (Be they Retired or Active) and their families.
We (The Military) need to help vote the bums out, starting with Mr. O, followed closely with Reid and Palosi. Then any other idiot (Barney Frank) that thinks that our military is being paid to much. They're the ones who have gotten us into wars by their asinine policy and failed diplomacies.
Make no mistake. The father of Fannie Mae failure and the housing crash is coming after your pension and retiree medical benefits. Your pension was frozen for two years. No COLA because food and energy were excluded from inflation. Barney cooked the books to buy welfare votes as usual. Sad when they milk the brave to pay for the utterly useless.
Couln't have said it better myself! Thanks.
Some here either can't or won't read. He wants to quit pissing away billions in places like Korea, Japan, Germany,etc. They need to protect THEMSELVES. IT'S NOT OUR JOB.
In the above article…"
Rep. Frank is not blaming the cost of military pay and compensation, his issue is with the amount of money spent to on being “the military policemen of the world.”
Read more: http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2011/08/mil…
MilitaryAdvantage.Military.com
Make sure you get up for work tomorrow, there are millions of people on welfare depending on you dont let them down.
I agree with getting rid of Frank. Something else we need to think about. We have a bigger problem that some of you do not see. If we bring all of the Military back to the US. WHERE are you going to House them?. I know for the Marine Corps does a Rotation when it comes to Housing uinits. I live in Hawaii and I can only think of a couple of times where all 3 Infantry uints have been here at the same time. I'm sure all the Services have the same problem. The Marines in Okinawa are beign moved to Guam. Which Cost $$. What will the Army do if they closed all thier bases over seas, They have way more.
So there are a couple of places we can cut back on. But pay and benifites is not one of them.
And as far as Congress. YOU don't here them defending on WHY they should not have to CUT any of their FAT.
Marshoot
See this is very rational and sensible. I like the way you think marshoot.
I guess barney the frank puffer forgot that he lead the way with his fannie mae up in the air? These guys just dont have a clue and ALL of them need to be voted out. I cant vote against him as an individual but you who live in his area can. All I can do is vote against his puffer buddies and try to vote them out. He is right to a degree, why are we once again the worlds policeman? Where are the rest of our "ALLIES"? Or is it still the same 'ol joke NATO, No Action Talk Only?
For all of you. They need to hand the budget over to former President Bill Clinton and he will balance it. And when the Armies do come home, there are no jobs for those getting out, and to many housing foreclosures on the market. Our boys deserve better if they return home. And as for cutting our childrens free breakfast and free lunches, NO WAY, NO HOW!! When our leadership gives away billions of dollars in foreign aid and to drug cartel countries, they have no business taking from our countries children and our countries education. We don't have enough schools either. But there is plenty of money to grease foreign enemy nations with. Until the foreign aid stops and other overseas pet programs stop, NO CUTS TO OUR MILITARY OR ANY OF OUR SOCIAL PROGRAMS. DOWN WITH ALL THE GOP. GO TO WIKIPEDIA AND YOU WILL FIND THAT THEY ARE ALL GLOBALISTS THAT ARE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT ON THE GOP TICKETS. ALL INVOLVED IN OWNING MULTI-INTERNATIONAL CORPORATIONS. REASON THEY DON'T WANT TO TAX THE RICHEST CORPORATIONS IN THIS COUNTRY AND BIG OIL!!! Time to pay their taxes and no more cuts for anyone.
I take it you are not aware that all corporate tax is passed onto you when you buy something that corporation makes! Please understand economics before you write.
We need to throw away the tax code, tax consumption (fair tax), stop redistribution, encourage abortion for those who continue to have children on our dime (Medicaid) as those same children then elect idiots like Obama to office and the cycle is repeated, and close all departments in the fed system not lawfully having to do with the limited powers expressed in the Constitution.
Brigid: Bill Clinton didn't balance the budget. Yes, he was President at the time a Republican Congress gave him a budget to sign. Please stop saying Clinton balanced anything – he didn't. I agree he gets credit for being there but you need to educate yourself and stop with the sound bites (sheep do this).
Yeah, and the Dems know about it and don’t want any part of this action? Thankfully you support the military. Everything else you mention – well only you understand where it comes from. By the way, the GOP is generally the champion of the military and a strong defense. Wait ’till Barney really gets going. You know the thing I can not understand about the Dems is that they always want to cut the military first and yet, in a way, it could be looked at as the only social program in the country that actually gives us something and creates jobs. There are all those soldiers, civilians and contractors that contribute to ourdefence and actually get out of bed to go to work each day. Some of them actually volunteered to give their lives for this country. But who do the Dems champion? The welfare class! Let’s see, pay patriotic Americans who are willing to die for freedom and democracy or pay some lazy no good for nothing derelict who hasn’t worked in years. I think we all know who the Dems will support.
I AGREE
just when did the military ask to go over seas to fight. Last I heard they were SENT OVER. They did not say well its a slow day so lets start a war somewhere. The pres, and congress did that. Another oops who do we blame this time?
It is apparent that there are many on this site who do not read or comprehend the printed word…sad, sad, sad…..complaining about something they read but did not comprehend…Frank is not attacking the Folks, but the Military Industrial Complex we were warned about by President Eisenhower…remember him ?? Apparently not…….
Instead of pointing the finger at the DoD, he needs to start by looking in the mirror, across the asile at his counterparts, and at the White House. I agree that he is not directly attacking military personnel, but in regards to the tension fused atmosphere surrounding my brothers and sisters in arms, he needs not to word his statements the way he tends to do so much……don't get me wrong folks, I think Frank is an idiot of the worst kind the pretty much epitomizes what is wrong with our government and the civilian leadership of our armed forces. They are the idiots wanting to play the world's 911 force…..but for the wrong reasons….. In the military, we take care of our own, in all aspects. Why won't our elected officials do the same thing? Unfortunately the answer is very simple, there are no personal gains to be made by our elected government if we do that.
Thank you, finally a voice of sanity. Eisenhower did warn of the threat of the military industrial complex. Here is a direct quote from his farewell speech to the nation: "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together. "
If that wasn't foretelling the future I don't know what is!
Thank you! Exactly what I'm saying.
Many replies on here make us look like illiterate reactionary sheeple. We can do better than this!
I agree!! Some of you are missing the point and focus of the article!!
SGM: you need to read the article again without your preconceived prejudices. It is sad you would belittle others for a lack of understanding when clearly you lack the understanding. Yes, we remember President Eisenhower but how is that relevant to this article or discussion? – memory serves he no longer is the President and this is 2011 – the age of entitlements. And Frank is attacking the "folks", he always has.
Right on! The military members are not what Congressman Frank is targeting – it is the over reach by the military industrial complex which profits from war. We are all over the globe ignoring what is needed at home. Watch "Why We Fight" and maybe it will be put into perspective. Our national interests are the interests of those who profit from war and the oil companies, not the military members who might have gone to college or had a good job rather than war if school was affordable and there were jobs at home. No one in Iraq attacked us but thanks to lies and media, our young men went to Iraq believing they were avenging the 911 attack. Dying for lies and someone else's money. Too sad.
Thank you SGM , I know who gave me my CRSC, My retirement pay free of the offset, I can not believe how many people has miss understood what Frank said, wow , I looked up military pay raises over the years just to see who gave the military the best pay raises, I think veteran and soldier have better check our who really taking care of them in the retirement years, I have been retired sense 1990, People check our the bill and who support the military in the retirement years.
In support of SGM Pompili: “In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted.” ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower
Attack the military industrial complex and that leaves the military without the best tools needed or gives it the lowest bidder sub-standard tools. We need the best available to fight the current and future wars government chooses for us to fight. Don't be so blind that once the industrial complex has been drained, the size of our military forces will be next which affects folks, doing even more with less. Sound familiar? After that pay and benefits will be the next target. Finally, lets reduce military retiree benefits because they are living like kings.
For all of you complaining about the "military industrial complex" that is costing so much, I say lets run with that.
Next war….
Army and Marines, your Armor guys can face the enemy in M-4 Sherman Tanks, they are much cheaper than the M1 Abrams, and for all of you infantry guys it will be back to the M-1 Garand since they too are cheaper and in large surplus supply, as for transport, infantry don't need no stinking carriers, right? You can walk to battle..
Air Force guys can face the enemy in P-51's and B-17's or B-29's they'll be cheap as well, once we get retooled.
Marines, will go back to AMTRACs for landing ops, or maybe Higgins boats, they're even cheaper.
Perhaps we can save even more… all infantry forces can go back to the .57 cal Springfield Rifled Musket then you can save on ammo by loading your own, at the muzzle.
Navy, you guys can go back to Ward Class Destroyers and Kearsarge class Battleships and since they are so expensive I'm sure we can do without the Carriers.
Since money means more than lives we can ditch the body armor as well since it is just added dead weight, right?
I'm sure the tax payers will appreciate the savings.
So, we should PAY our soldiers well, but send them into battle without body armor, shoes or bullets? After all, we wouldn't want to feed the "Evil Military Industrial Complex"….you remember, the one that helped ol' Ike with the bleepin' war?
The way to balance the budget is to put a sur charge on all oil coming to this country. We have more oil than the rest of the world. In five tears we could be exporting more oil than we now import.
We need to get off the oil!! It won't last forever!!!
Taxes and surcharges are passed along to the consumer in the form of higher prices for products. And while this would lower demand for foreign oil, it would also hit the average American who must buy fuel to sustain their life.
To mine, refine, and deliver oil from the US will take at least 5-7 years, if not longer. There are not enough refineries to process the oil we are mining right now. No new refineries have been built in over 20 years. Everytime a proposal to build one comes up, the selected community fights against it because no one wants an oil refinery in their back yard, Oil used to be the cheapest in Alaska. Now it's among the most expensive because their refineries can't handle the load. So now the oil is shipped to the lower 48 for refining, then shipped back up there, making the price outrageous. So an extensive infrastructure must first be built before we start more mining. After you get it out of the ground, it's got to get to a refinery.
We are just an easy target for the fools in Washington. That is alright you fools, you will be ousted during the next election….
What if we replaced them all? For the next 6 years never vote for an incumbent. And I mean for any office at any level anywhere.
It could work. Or it could turn our country into a great boneless mass.
The best option is to do your research and vote for the person that wants the same thing as you do. Just pray they aren't lying.
that is so true
@Angie
You're crazy
I remember the old timers saying "back in my day" and I suppose it's my turn. Back in my day – they were called orders, not requests.
Back in my day – the politicians led from the front.
Back in my day – the recruiters had the right, and more so, DUTY to turn people away.
There's a saying that "a lie is best bought between two truths" – but any assclown can pass that sniff test and find the BS out of the lines above… I'm confident ANY of our political finest could detect that.
Sure, there are some people who go well above and beyond others in the military and some who have the easy tours might have a false sense of entitlement while those who put it on the line, humbly fade into the background… but let me tell you something leaders of the "free world"… every single person who enlists, regardless of time of war or peace, male or female; took an oath to serve their country… not to help themselves to the buffet that being a politician is…
This quote pretty much sums it up for me: "A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to ‘The United States of America ‘ for an amount of ‘up to and including my life.’ "
If you aren't happy with the state of things; nation, block, world, or your mindset… challenge them and do what's right… lead from the front. Simplify your life if you can't keep up with the Joneses, live within our means and earn what we have. YOU ARE NOT WHAT YOU OWN!!! …especially when what you "own" makes you slave to another.
I would like to challenge each person who reads this… look at the principles taught in various religions… donate a tenth – if not money, time. Don't covet thy neighbor's ANYTHING. Love your neighbor as you would yourself. Don't steal (pay attention to that one – debt is stealing from our kids and so on).
Maybe I'm crazy or drinking the Koolaid – but I'm tired of the Democrypts and Rebloodlicans up on Capital Hill making headlines and top stories in the news… knock off the crap and LEAD FROM THE FRONT!!!
Unfortunately, the fact that they think of themselves first as Democrats or Republicans, Conservatives or Liberals is at the heart of the problem. I always think of myself as a American… perhaps that is old fashioned, but, maybe that's what we need.
Seann, Thank you. I remember the days when politicians and their children were the first to join the military and go fight. Nowadays their children are rich sniviling little cowards that want to call all the shots. None of them served and that is the background of TeaBager politicians. Most all of our Congressmen have never served this country in the military. I did serve four years and I went where I was told to go. And our servicemen are not being given their discharges in this day just because their contracts are up. No! There are no replacements for them because there is no draft. Therefore, they are required to serve until they can be replaced. They can also be called back at anytime up to 30 years after the date of their enlistments. And that includes many disabled veterans. Thank you Seann for your comments. You are right on target.
AMEN BROTHER.
azrag73 has the situation correct…Fannie Mae & Fannie Mac are the problems. How much debt has the government purchased trying to keep these two institutions open, which at Barney Franks pet projects in the first place. The morgage companies took those bad loans, packaged them and sold the off. People were betting they were going to continue to get rich on their properties…even if they could not afford them. The laws for bidding the non-approval of homes to low income familes should be repealed. If you can not afford it you shouldn’t apply for a new home. We need to get these crazy Socially Progressive Democrates out of the Senate and moreover the White House come election time.
Frank is Right! We can not be the worlds police department. We are spending ourselves into becoming a 3rd world nation. Other countries are not picking up their share, leaving it all to US TAX PAYERS! Frank is not attacking our military personnel, their pay and their benefits. He is simply saying the rest of the world that wants free nations need to pay their part. In dollars and people. To many of our fine military personnel have died while the rest of the nations of this world benefit, without regard or care of their loss.
Retired Vet. Richard
Your headline is a farce. A complete bogus twist of the facts. Rep Frank is not blaming the military. He is simply stating a fact. We cannot afford the level of military actions that we have undertaken. We need to eliminate forces where they are not needed, end the bogus wars we have started , and stop starting new wars. We are hemorrhaging in loss of blood and treasure, putting good men and women in harm's way based on lies. Remember VietNam? What have we learned? We need to hold leaders who lie to the American public accountable. We are already beyond bankrupt. Rome was once an empire too. Look where it ended up. We need to change our course before we end up on the dustbin of history as a failed fascist state.
Rome did not fall because of military incompetence. It fell because of political vacillitude, ineptness, and corruption. It fell because it became a society of consumers that produced nothing. It fell because its political leaders, who saw themselves as royalty, focused only on their own self-serving agenda and forgot about the founding principles of the republic. It had NOTHING to do with the military or the amount of money spent on it.
I had little respect for Rep. Barney Frank to begin with. Someone should explain to this idiot that the military does not initiate combat anywhere on their own. The politicians (like Barney Frank) send them in to take care of a problem. Barney Frank is a fool and every time he opens his mouth he makes it that much clearer to the world in general.
Barney should answer for all of his unlawful and questionable activities.
Barney Frank hasn't had an original idea in over 30 years of public service. No matter what the circumstances the mantra is always the same. Cut back on defense spending and this time it is cloaked in language that questions why the US is acting as the world's policeman. But, when things go terribly wrong in say the African subcontinent, Rep. Frank his ilk ask where were we or why did we not see this coming and do something to head it off. Frank is right that there are opportunities for improved thinking as to how we can save $$ in re-establish the country'as credit score, but foreign aid is a huge target and the domestic budget has more pork for programs that are ineffective at best and give people the false impression that the government is their daddy and mama.
They know 2 more. Quit and run. I want a country that is so strong that no one will even think about messing with us —so we don't have to fight. I want our soldiers to come home the winners that they are! I want the dems not to announce to the world when we are quitting. Did you notice the number of casualties and deaths the week the 3rd Armored Cavalry pulled out in Iraq? They have the best generals and trained troops in the world and yet their first target is always the military while there sorry behinds reap the rewards of other sacrifices and pain.
Here we go again. When Congress says "support our troops" they mean only for as long as they can get elected for saying it.
The fact that this guy keeps getting re-elected further demonstrates the need for term-limits to limit the extent of damage these politicians can inflict. THIS, coming from the guy who is largely to blame/implicit in the housing bubble…
Given the demand being placed on the military, the budget increase is understandable as a discretionary line item. However, the non-discretionary budget is what is eating our lunch. We either come to grips with that and fix it, or, it will fix itself.
Unfortunately, we have no leadership in D.C., and no policiticans (certainly not enough of them) with the guts to do anything other than focus on getting themselves re-elected.
Shameful.
the reason characters like Frank continue to get reelected is because the masses have no clue. we the people continue to go by party lines without any thought of what will occur later. i do not belong to any party. i refuse to give up that many brain cells. Semper Paratus
I think that Rep. Barney Frank needs to go and put on a uniform and go out there where men and women are getting shot at on a daily basis and then come back to Capital Pill and then talk about cuts.
I honestly believe that before you can run for congress or the senate, you have to serve one term as a soldier. That way it cuts out all the BS that they think they know what is best for the men and women in uniform and actually see with their own eyes what is really going on.
Honestly, how stupid do you have to be with running the country that you where voted in by the people for the people that you can't even pass a balance budget on the federal level but 48 out of 50 states can…it is a sad state of affairs.
I am not a fan of Barney Frank, but he has a point. I am retired military, and I would like to see more benefits and higher pay for soldiers, but the is a difference between defense spending, and spending for wars. We are currently engaged in war (undeclared) in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen. and the list goes on. None of these wars are contributing to the security of this nation. None of these wars are in the interest of the American people. But there are those who are making a "killing" on these wars.
Our continued presence in the Middle East is fueling the terrorist threat. And the terrorist threat is being used to undermine our rights at home. As long as the Congress continues to fund wars it is unwilling to declare, and allow a president to do what he wants (or is told to do), this nation is sliding into bankruptcy and we are losing our freedoms.
Ron Paul in 2012!
Ron Paul….Ron Paul…..hey, isn't he the NUT who sees no problem with a nuclear-armed Iran?
The problem is the liberals and democrats. The credit rating would have stayed the same if we had adopted cut, cap and budget. Barney Frank is an idiot as well as Pelosi, Reid and the rest of the Obama order.
Well, if all these politicians are idiots elected by the American people, what does that make us? Of course there will be those that will say "I did not vote for them", but listen to yourself, you sound just like them. Grow up and act like an adult, that is the real problem. Isn't democracy great, we can all say what we want to say!!
The smartest thing Barney Frank has said in years was captured in this interview… listen carefully… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IftZSAVES4
ROFLMAO
Just the kind of idiot we need to vote out of office. Has he ever looked at the number of, " I've never worked in my life" types on welfare, this is where a large cut should be made. Make the go to work and supplement their income if necessary but don't just give it to them!
Maybe Franks forgot about his role in the housing market crash! I say get some of the millions stolen by the democratic hacks that were running Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac–case in point Franklin Raines.
Wait, I'm confused, I thought it was the Teaparty's fault, or was it the Republicans, or wait was it Bush? Now it's the Military's fault? Really? Those folks have my head spinning. They can't decide who to blame these days. They certainly are good at not looking at their programs though are they?
This is childish beyond belief.
Barney said freddy and fanny were in good shape. housing go boom why are we listining to the jackass that started all this mess and now expects the taxpayer to bail em out. he should be tared and feathered….
Which Freddy? Whose fanny was he talking about? ;)
Out of 53 comments only 3 can read and comprehend what Franks said ,SSGE< SGM< and RICHARD.the rest of you dumb asses must have been cooks or truck drivers or draftees. Just plain F"n sad
I need to contact my local representatives to voice my dis approval.. They need to read the facts before pointing a finger..Where is the logical reasoning here..I don't see it..Priove it, and then I would listen, and investigate. I think he is pointing out the military to take attention away from other issues. Fallow the money, and the answer become clearer..Look at their own hidden agenda's. I think its sab that their own interet is placed over the nation's own issues..Stop arguing, and work together as a team..I think all the parties should be taken away,and look at the person put in office..You can't work together with other elected official then don't run..We need to get along,and work with our fellow workers.We compromise,a nd meet half way sometimes. Look at the bigger picture first before pointing out things..The bigger pictures should be looked at as a whole,and don't argue smaller ones. Work as a team please, we elected you so give us that much respect..I send my positve thoughts towards the people who don't look at things from the people point of view.
Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. This is the same congress, and President that stole the Taxpayers money, to "bail out the banks," when they knew full well most of the money would go to the CEO that created the banking crissis, in the first place. Why did they do this? The CEO's make major donations to the campaigns of Congress and The President. The old one hand washing the other, and again at the expense of the good old Taxpayer. The problems with the defense budget is that the contracts are awarded on the same old good old boy system that allowed the banking bailout. If we don't have a strong military, we will have a repeat of 9/11 everyday. Every generation of Americans needs to have people willing to defend America with their lives, and these Heroes deserve the very best that money can buy. Congress needs to cut their own pay by half, because they have done less than a half ass job of looking after the interest of America. All government employees need to be put on Social Security, with the very same retirement and medical benefits as the Taxpayers that pay their wages. This includes city, state, county, state and federal employees. Once we make these needed changes, we need to look at the weryay government manages our money. We the people of The United States of America, need to stage an Amerian style revolutation. The date is prescribed by law, and is revered toas Election Day. If anyone that voted for the banking bailout, or was in office during the budget crissis gets re-elected, it will be a great disservice to America.
Why not have the country/ies where we are "policing" pay the US for our military presence. This would defer a lot of money that could be used here at home. It seems the politicos care more about foreigners and relations with them than they do about the people who elected them and are supposed serve them. A pretty good idea to oust all the lifers in Congress.
it couldn`t be the people who make our tax laws and put these loopholes in so our corrupt congress can cater to the lobbyist and big banks and mortgage companies.it has been almost three years and yet not one ceo or president of a mortgage company has gone to jail,never mind jail they have not even been to court.barney frank and chris dodd should be put in jail the two biggest thieves in d.c.
Barney Frank is very afraid, and what does someone who has an inferiority complex do? Simple, since he is in a power position he attacks the Biggest, Baddest group that cannot legally fight back. He attacks the U.S.Military from a Political position. He has the Govt backing him since he also has the P.C. police that lobby Senators with bucket fulls of cash behind closed doors. Mr. Frankenstein then comes out of the closet and starts his attack against the best men and women in the world. Shame on you Mr. Frank. You should be ashamed for your personal lifestyle and your public atrocities against America. We would be so much better without you and your ridiculous ideas that attack America. The truth is YOU are the Problem not the Military, So go home, take your body out of Washington with all your possessions and stay there, we don't need you or your ideas..
i never thought i'd agree with barney, but we need to get out of afghanistan& irauq put soldiers & mony to work on our infrastructure.
It has been noted that the Democrat Senators appointed to the Budget "Super Commitee", (Kerry, Mass & Murray, Wa), both have substantial defense contract buisness in their home states. When it comes to slashing the bacon, I am confident the burden will fall on the backs of the troops in the form of reduced benefits and frozen pay rates. The programs that will be protected are the ones that famously offer our military what they did not ask for nor can they use.
Does this administration ever do anything that they are responsible for? They're always blaming someone else.
Good God, I can't imagine anyone being stupid enough to vote for this pathetic president again.
Hit the road, Obozo, and take that old fruit Barney Frank with you!
Your response would indicate that there was ever a politician that took responsibility for anything negative. Let’s try to be at least a little unbiased here.
What have you done for your country today besides call this administration irresponsible? Where are your suggestions to improve our country's dilema? I do not need to hear 10 reasons why we can't, all we need is one "Good" how to idea.
Last I looked, the House was NOT part of the Executive, but the Legislative branch of Government.
And to reiterate, he did NOT say military personnel were the problem, but the defense budget (which is #3 or #4 in the US budget in terms of size of items). Note also that some of his rhetoric is undoubtedly a shot at his fellow congressmen – for example to get them to pull out of Afghanistan faster to cut spending.
those who think young men and women who volunter to change there lives and the lives of there familys are not the cause of the money that congress spends , maybe barney and his liberal fallowers should walk that walk and may be They would not try and make them the escape goat when you ask my fomer brothers and sisters target for there bias!!!!
He is not saying to cut military personnel numbers and pay. All he is saying is to stop spending so much money on rotten wars.
Read more: http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2011/08/mil…
MilitaryAdvantage.Military.com
He is not saying to cut military personnel numbers and pay. All he is saying is to stop spending so much money on rotten wars.
Straight reporting: "Rep. Frank is not blaming the cost of military pay and compensation"
The author's personal opinion"This means that military pay and compensation may end up being the logical “soft” target for Frank’s military spending cuts."
Don't confuse the author's opinions with what Rep Frank said.
Way to go Barney! Blame those who keep you free to run your gay brothel for your party's and Obama's incompetence!
I did not know that the military just went out and did police action any time it wanted to. I thought that when I was in the air force that the senacongress or president told us where to go and when to go there and what to take with us and all that stuff. Well, it must have been our squadron commander that said lets go to Florida and defende the country agains Cuba. I guess it was alos Col. Garvin that said lets get a lot of fighters in Nam and get that place ready. I learned something today. Thank you.
A1C Tobey Smith
431st Air Refueling Squadron
aircraft crew chief 1962 – 1966
one thing I have heard a lot of on the facebook and internet is martial law. might be a good idea for about 2 years and clean all the trash and start over again. congress, senate, white house, judicial, the whole nine yards. throw them all out. When we vote some one in it seems they turn out to be Islam or something similar.
Bawney Fwank is dumb as a box of wingnuts. The military is NOT the blame for the spending. The stupid idiot liberals are the ones who started the wars and they are the ones spending us into oblivion. The military responds to the politicicians orders to go fight what they consider to be the enemy. Of course, liberals cant and dont unserstand that bit of truth, They think the military just takes off and starts wars all by itself. They are TRULY that stupid too. Go home Bawnie and play with your boyfwiends toot whistle and stay there, fool.
Congress has been at fault for this for years, $300,000,000.00 Fighters each, Forcing units to waste money at the end of the year so their budgets don't get cut. Tring to Police the world; I am as sympatric as the nest person to the suffering of persons be persecuted, but that is their Governments problem not ours. We need to put our own house in order first. Corperations that leave our country to avoid taxes, fine place a tariff on their products. Stop the waste in our own government. If the Vice President wants to rent his guest house to the Secret Service, Then let GSA take care of the property, DON'T bill the American Public so you can make more, if you are not making enough find you another job and quite trying to make a profit off the American Public that YOU choose to serve. Do your job, you and the President!!!!!! I am sorry did I say profit, maybe I should have said Profiteering!! And that is my opinion.
What Mr. Frank is forgetting is that it is him and his peers that keep making decisions to send our military to the hotspots in the world. Our military leaders are simply answering the call of duty. We're not politicians trying to make a name for ourselves. Nor do we enjoy the blood on our hands. But we'll be damned if we are asked to complete a task that without proper resources would cause us to fail in our various missions – tasks placed upon us by Mr. Frank and his peers. So let's cut his salary down to size and let him make fewer decisions that require our military leaders to prepare for a fight which we WILL win, God help us! And if he and his peers want us to go in and do the dirty work to keep us all free, he better damn well come up with the money and other resources to do the job right! Otherwise, cancel the damn war before it gets started. Semper Fi.
Let give Barney a pair of pink underwear and a gun and send him to the middle east
Barney Frank is correct, we need to stop being "the worlds policemen."
The major problem with our countries debt and unemployment is the corporations that have left this country to due moving their business business elsewhere. This has lead to to unpresidented loss of jobs within our country, and loss of incoming income to our government causing debt.
I firmly afree with "Beware the Industrial Complex" as a major cause of military costs and expenditures. Barney Frank never prpposed pay and benefits being cut to our military.
I normally don't post anything to these discussions, just read,get a laugh and sometimes actually hear some rational comments. I am a retired DAV and I still have issues that need to be resolved with the VA and now we hear someone speaking to messing with military spending, cloaked as entitlements. I believe that ,ilitary spending should be reined in, but not in entitlements, but some of the contracts, new and failed weapons systems, that we don't need and wars that are not funded. When we are at "war" or in a conflict, it's not the military personnel who get the money, it is all the businesses that make money off of these conflicts.
New weapons, bullets, bombs, aircraft,etc. Big business is happy that we are in these conflicts because it helps their bottom line. Like GE, who has many a government contract, makes $14 billion dollars, $5 billion in the states and pays no taxes. TAx them. Tax Halliburton, who is " rebuilding" IRAQ with taxpayer dollars. Look around people and see who the real culprits are. Big business and their lackeys. The politicians are just doing what they are told.
What a surprise – another clueless freakin' liberal trying to blame the military for this countries ills. Maybe he should look in a mirror – He and his buddy Dodd stonewalled the reining in of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae because they loved the money they got from both quasi-governmental entities. How about looking at another liberal program – LBJ's War on Poverty – Trillions spent and the percentage of those living in poverty are virtually unchanged (and with the increase in population, the actual number is much greater). One constant with a liberal, they will always place blame somewhere BUT they will never accept it.
Mr. Frank may want to rethink his position. He helped risky mortgages stay below radar while Standard and Poor whose job is was to monitor banks (B.Frank legislation here also) fell down on job. The S&P was asleep at the wheel with Mr. Frank rubbing their backs and is now looking for scapegoat Look in mirror Mr. Frank and you will see the true nemesis. What is paid for military is piecemeal in comparison to slaughter made by big business and the lining of Mr.Franks pockets.
Wake up, people. Barney Frank might be an idiot, but you're being fed horse shit. Do you know why the U.S. needs a good credit rating? Do you know why the government had to increase its debt ceiling to pay bills? Or do you just not bother asking yourselves these questions? Our whole system of economy is flawed, and the government CAN'T cut spending. The might trim some here, but it has to be spent somewhere else, otherwise our economy goes into recession. Do your research, and get to the root of the problem.
Wow.. the people commenting on this must be the most inbred retarded redneck people on earth.. its says RIGHT IN THE ARTICLE.
"Rep. Frank is not blaming the cost of military pay and compensation, his issue is with the amount of money spent to on being “the military policemen of the world.” "
yet half of you morons are still saying "he wants to cut pay and benefits!" jesus fucking christ grow a goddamn brain quit watching fox news and for fucks sake THINK FOR YOURSELF FOR ONCE.
And in your opinion these are the most inbred retarded redneck people on earth? You have a way with words!
Barney Frank has a bad case of “HUA-syndrome” (head-up-***). We as the last remaining Super Power have a responsibility to those who are both oppressed and too weak to defend themselves where democracy and freedom are concerned. Now…there ought to be some semblance of method to the madness, but the US has a responsibility to help those who can’t help themselves. If we in the military don’t, who’s going to do it…the House and the Senate?
What Barney Frank and other elected officials need to focus on is re-establishing their Accountability, Responsibility, and Credibility with the American people. Until that’s done, leave the Pentagon Budget alone!!!
Barney, go buy a house somewhere in the US to help undo what you and your cronies caused. Why you are still in office I have no idea. Some (too many) keep putting you and people like H. Reid back in office, pass bills you have no freaking idea whats in them except what you threw in.
Oh did I forget Polsei (spell check). Oh its okay no one like you or her will
read it anyway, just let it PASS by.
nice thought but the majority of congress isn't up for re-election for another 5 years……. the tea party just took over and they get to fuc* up the country for 6 yr terms…… it is a never ending circle jerk….. we spend 1 1/2 years gearing up to elect a president, a year to celebrate/bitch about his victory, then it is time to start looking for someone to replace him cuz he doesn't/ hasn't/can't/won't or what ever do the job…… congress just sits their and pointys the finger at the other party and says it is your fault but doesn't work to fix the problems….WE ARE ALL SCREWED>>>>>>>
Did you even read the article – "Unlike SOME DOD OFFICIALS (he) is NOT blaming the cost of military pay and compensation" That means while some members of the DOD ARE trying to hack your benefits, he's standing up for you, saying, no actually you shouldn't take from the members, but stop trying to police the world to save money. And, for ONCE, he's right and you guys are spewing a bunch of talking points which if anything would not endear any member of congress to have your back if you hate them regardless.
Right now it's the republican side of the isle looking to cut the most govt. spending and we are all government. If these huge cuts go into place NO ONE will be spared. Yet, many of you will continue to vote for the very people hurting you the most right now because they have supported the military more in the past. The times they are a changin'. Get on board or don't complain when you get just what you asked for.
"Getting the U.S. military out of the role of “world policemen” isn’t going to happen anytime soon. This means that military pay and compensation may end up being the logical “soft” target for Frank’s military spending cuts." There's no proof of this opinion. Just getting out of the two main wars we are in would help quite a lot in the realm of "cutting back on policing".
First of all I don`t get it of how he get`s voted back into office.The second is he never served in the Military and has absolutly no idea what he is talking about.He & Dodd are the one`s that put this country where it is today with Acorn.Obama,Frank,Pelosi, Reid,Boxer,etc should all be impeached!I don`t think we can waite until next year to get rid of Obama.I`m sick of the lie`s and Bullshit.Obama is on a tour now with brand new Buss`s because the other one`s aren`t equip with bullet proof side`s.This is all being paid by US,They people of this country.
Calm down, he is the President, and yes we will continue to pay for his equipment. Guess what, you will never see this President impeached, so you will have to wait to vote him out. Relief is in sight, once he is gone then all you have to do is listen to the lies of the next elected President. Isn't that great?
Angie, you need to wakeup and smell something. have you been paying any attention to anything. the deamoncrats throughout history have always cut the military to the bone. now the repulseicans are in that mode as well. if the gang of 12 remain in a stupor, and are unable to get a budget passed, the cuts will be so bad we might not be able to defend ourselves. Barney Frank is an absolute Moron wrapped in an Idiot. the reason we are in such bad shape is due to a democratic congress (at the time) and a democratic president going nuts with the budget. spend, spend, spend. granted the 2.5 wars we are fighting add to the problem. Semper Paratus
I retired after 34 years of active, guard and reserve time. Never did any unit I was ever in have the right type and volume of equipment.
Frank was a major part of the problem with the housing bust (remember his significant other was a part of the system too).
2 things need to happen to solve the problems this country has. 1 is that we need a balanced budget amendment. If congress is unable to produce a balanced budget withhold their pay and lucrative benefits.
The second thing, but most important one, is to have real term limits for those in the Congress and the Senate. It would take an amendment to the Constitution to do that, but I don't hear ANYONE speaking those words. A fixed term in years should be established and that time should include either time in the House, Senate or both.
OMG!! How can the military be the blame for the reduction in credit rating when it is Congress and the President that vote to go to a foreign country to fight and rebuild. Dam!! If some of you congressmen had the guts to join the military you would see that the military is NOT a democracy; we follow the orders of the commander-in-chief!! The President without question!! Try voting to stop spending and start saving taxpayers money!! After all you guys do pay taxes,right????
Mr Frank, if he speaks the truth, needs to elimate the word"MILITARY" The military goes when and where the civilians in Washington order them [us] to go and do what the politations order. I agree with Mr Frank that the USA should not Police the world, but the Military was ordered to "go and keep the peace" by Washington elected officials. The Military did NOT go with out orders from the civilians! Put the blame where it belongs, Congress and the President.
Why is Bareny Franks even still in Congress, when he should be in jail for his grand part and his lover's in the Fannie mae and Freddy mac debockle. Oh i forgot he is gay and a Congressman so nothing should be said. Well so much for being accepted, your gay selfrightous ass should be in jail, how your Lover can make 90 million dollars running a company into the ground is beyound all common sense, and your gay congressman's ass up on capitial hill stating everthing if fine with both companies. I forgot agian the rules and law only apply to the common folk not you. You are a real piece of human sh**, as a Congressman and being gay you should be setting an example for the Country.
The guy doesn't know what he is talking about, but those Massachusetts voters just seem to love sending him to Congress. What's with those voters? Don't they want rational and reasonable representation?
Every time somebody talks about cuts, they aren't shy about mentioning that personnel costs are the biggest part of the budget. They never talk about waste in contracting and weapons systems.
I personally believe that Frank is right; we cannot be the rescuer’s of the world with our military acting as a major police department. I don’t think Frank is totally against the military, but the military is an easy target to get money from and that’s where I think he is all wet because he knows the military is an easy target. We need to stop paying money to all the overseas countries every time they have a problem. We are experiencing our own problems this country and that money we spend overseas should go to the people who pay the taxes here in the United States. Here is the fix; we need to change our Congressman, Congresswomen, and Senators to a two year term. Maybe we can get this country out of debt and be the most powerful nation in the World again because then they will listen to us tax payers if they want to be elected.
Barney Frank is right. In 1992 the mil. budget was app $140 billion. And now it is over $300billion and we have less troops. Mil pay and entitlements is not the problem because the number of troops has decreased. The problem is what is the military doing with all the increased funds if the number of personell has decreased. If it is fighting wars that we do not need to be in, then get out. Or is it procurring equipment that simply costs a lot of money. I hope Barney Frank gets to the bottom of this fiasco. I am a retired CSM and love the military, but lets get to the bottom of this ASAP.
I wish i could like this twice!
How about these congressmen and women along with the president take a pay cut. Maybe that will help as well. I’m willing to bet that if these so called leaders of our country went and got a real job instead of sitting in a cozy office all day deciding the fate of everyone lower then them, they would not last a day.
Dumb Ass Frank!!!
You need to work on building your adjectives bank.
Barney Frank is indeed an idiot. He almost single handedly created and caused the housing debacle which started the American financial decline and what he and the other co-conspirators in Congress do not want people to talk about, is the fact that the military spends no money that was not authorized by Congress. Money being spent in the various Congressional districts in order to garner votes. Frank and the others are not interested in the well being of the nation, they are only interested in being re-elected. Nothing else concerns them, only their futures on the government payroll and the pay-offs they will receive after they retire. There should be a special prison where Frank and the others like him can do hard time.
Please!!!! The first thing the government looks at when someone says cut is the military when teh dems are in charge! Even when they are not in teh majority they want to cut the military. Most have never been in the military and have no idea what we go through so that they can have their jobs. The service members are some of the lowest paid people inteh work force. We joined the service to serve and were garrented our benifits for our service. Now some jackass's want to balance the national budget on our backs. We have done our part for teh country and cntinue to serve for our country. Leave Us Alone or come join us then maybe you can understand what it is to do your part for freedom other wise shut up and find another way to strighten the problems fo teh country out. I am a retired 20 plus year vetran and I would return to duty if called on. We have done more for the country than most.
Let's get our troops home! We don't need to be in other countries fighting their wars. Let them pay for their own defense. We should also make it clear, that if we are attacked by terrorist, that we will retaliate on all countries know to harbor terrorist. Take out some of their infrastructure! Also, lets try to remember who was in charge for 8 years and ran this country into the ground!!! Took 8 years for the republicans to put us in the worst economic state since the depression. Do you think you can fix it over night. DAAAA!!!
None of them should be allowed to serve more than 8 years in Congress. That is all the President gets.
Washington DC is not a state. Lets put guards around it to keep the so called leaders in and go back to the state gov'ts controlling what happens in America.
We can do a better job without DC.
One thing I agree with is that the US military should NOT be the world police. I agree with the poster that said that military service should be a requirement to be a Senator or a Congressman.
Another thing I think that the United States needs to stop being is the world charity. Yes, I feel sorry for other countries that have wars, poverty, natural disasters and not so natural disasters but we can't help everyone. We need to focus on our own problems before helping anyone else. How many billions do we spend every year on foreign aid? Cutting out some if not all or most of the foreign aid we pay out for a year a two could really give our own country the boost we really need. (just my opinion)
The politicians in DC need to stop feeling entitled and living like real Americans, the same medical plans, the same social security benefits etc. The politicians could not care less if social security fails because it will never affect them personally. (off topic I know)
Retired Army First Cook (Not all of us are stupid or ignorant as one other poster implied)
There you are again Stacy, ever consider politics? You would be great, unfortunately, you have too much common sense. That would be held against you in politics!!
BARNEY NEEDS TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH HIS BOY FRIEND
I'm no fan of Frank; but, on this issue, I agree 100%. Somewhere Washington bought the propaganda that the USA had to assume Britain's failed Cecile Rhodes "Policeman of the World" plan. There are approximately 190 countries in the world and roughly 2/3rds of them have some American military presence in addition to the Embassy Guards. It's time to bring all but the Guards home! Let the Iraqis and the Afghans fight their own wars.
SOS. Same Ol' Sh _ _. Frank and his AHs sould spend a month in combat. I'll bet military pay would increase and there would be far fewer wars.
Two tour VN War Vet,
Roy
Did anyone even read past the typical Military.com headline? What IGNORANT COMMENTS! AND yep, I'm NOT a democrat…and YEP, I'm a REAL Vet…a REAL VET (not just a Fox News Junky)….a COMBAT vet…with an HONORABLE discharge…This article is a JOKE and you're a bunch of morons.
But this is what Vets fight for, the freedom of speach! A Combat Vet, well how did you manage to get the supplies you got in combat? What shall we call all those support troops, unreal vets? I am sure many of them recieved Honorable discharges too. You are not a real vet, you are just a frustrated person mad at the world because you think you have treated unfairly. Maybe you have, but there are many of us Vets with a different mentality.
dumb*** Barney seems to have forgot fanny may and fanny mac which were all his fault.
These posts are the very reason America is so screwed up. The writer of this article just twisted Franks words about the "war costs" that ran up the "deficit" spending cuts into military entitlement cuts, and started a stupid uneducated rant about something that didn't even happen. Go look at the archived video and see what was said by Rep. Frank. Yes these wars,the cost to run them, and damage done to disable people DID cause out of control spending. Anyone that doesn't understand that is the real idiot here. The Right asks for "cuts in domestic spending" like it's a cure all. THat's BS and most intelligent people understand that. AS far as I'm concerned, keep ranting and whaling against the truth and spin your own little worlds. Likek the man said, We better hurry up and learn to "live together as brothers or perish together as fools". From this article it really looks like the latter.
Hey Dwight,
Everyone who submits a post has both the right to do so, and most likely a legitimate concern. Most are still Active Duty, veterans, or dependents of a military member. Are you a veteran? If so, you’re a “walking-talking contradiction-in-terms”; preaching some gospel about living together as brothers or dying as fools while insulting these citizens for voicing an opinion. The next time you feel like acting superior to another fellow “American”, jump back and reflect on the b.s. antics and rhetoric of your beloved Democratic base…the one’s whom clearly want to benefit from the sacrifices of
veterans, but want to steal from them (short-term) in order to recoup deficits incurred by their frivolous spending habits.”To whom much is given, much is required”…then again the Democratic party never produced any leaders who could actually lead as well as well as they flaly spend
Ah.h.h.h. lets see Democrats that could actually lead . . . General Andrew Jackson who defeated the English during the war of 1812, Woodrow Wilson, led us to victory in WWI, FDR who saved the country after two Republican presidents ran us into the great depression and went on to lead us through most of WWII, Give em **** Harry that ended WWII by chosing to drop the A-Bomb (remember The Buck Stops Here?), JFK that stopped the Soviets from putting missles in Cuba and started us the journey to the moon. As a 36 year vet it pays to know your history . . . never say never
Ok CSM…I thought we were talking about “current events”. But since you think you’re the only one with significant time-in-service with a degree in American History…let’s dance. The so-called leaders you refer to had to be pressured into making the decisions which made history. Your beloved Gen. Jackson turned his back on those who protected him just as Barney Frank is planning towards today’s veterans. I know, because they were my ancestors from the Cherokee Nation. With regard to your quote: “the buck stops here”…Democrats have no concept of what it is to be accountable. They merely want to keep their “free lunch program” going, paid for by tax dollars. All of which only stimulated the deficit they are so proud of today. But hey…it’s change YOU can believe in! Right, CSM?
You need to relook some of your history.
Jackson was nearly defeated by the British and only his consorting with Pirates (primarily Jean Lefitte) gave us the sea power to defeat the British by Pirates interdiction of their Navy.
FDR put us into a war we were ill prepared to fight and which deepened the depression. He and Truman were both as fiscally incompetent as Hoover, they did not end the depression, FDR exacerbated and deepened it by overspending, turning Hoovers recession into the "Great Depression" Truman did nothing to end the depression, the returning veterans demands for durable goods & housing combined with a free market is what ended the depression.
JFK sparked the Cuban Missile crisis by weakness and had to dig his way out of his own hole, he initiated the space program, but Nixon oversaw it to a successful mission to the moon.
Obama oversaw JFK's space program's demise by shelving the Shuttle and diverting NASA to a Muslim Outreach program and handing the lead in space (along with billions we are currently earmarking to give to Russia as "cab fare" to carry our people to the ISS) to China and Russia.
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM A *****
People like Mrs. Barney Frank are the problem. Never mind that he has offended the God most of us worship with his perversions, it is the fact that too many sorry ass stupid Americans (I presume) voted him in and kept him there. Career Politicians will be the death of the United States of America. Robins Williams said it best; "Politicians are like Diapers. They need to be changed frequently and for the same reason!" People, we will not get our country back until we vote fresh, honest, untainted blood into office at all levels of government. That said, we must also avoid horrendous mistakes like the one some of you made in electing Broke Obummer into the Oval Office.
Has the TWIT Frank forgotten what he and Dodd did to this country with Fannie Mae and Mack?????
Let's not forget Frank's very, very expensive failure with Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac, which caused the first "bailout" at taxpayer expense. Frank's blaming the military is nothing but an attempt to alleviate the blame on himself, and try to show that another branch of the government has caused a financial problem. Also, by blaming the military, he's in effect blaming the Commander in Chief who, without Congressional approval spent billions on Libya and Afganistan. Remember, it was Obama's statements during the election that "Afganistan was the issue, not Iraq." And so, he sent the military over there. What is the cost of the Chinese picking up highly classified information about drones. Was getting bin Laden worth loosing an advantage of technology?
Salary of retired US Presidents ………….$180,000 FOR LIFE
Salary of House/Senate …………………..$174,000 FOR LIFE
Salary of Speaker of the House …………$223,500 FOR LIFE
Salary of Majority/Minority Leaders …… $193,400 FOR LIFE
Average Salary of a teacher ……………. $40,065
Average Salary of Soldier DEPLOYED IN AFGHANISTAN $38,000
I think we found where the cuts should be made!
Don't forget that thier spouses receive the samepay upon their death. I have to pay monthly out my retirement for my spouse to 1/2 of my 1/2. Congress has stepped on the backs of the American people to pad their pockets with special interest money and advance their political careers. They don't listen to the American people and look down at us with contempt, both REPS and DEMS. Our Founding Fathers are rolling over in their graves.
Wake up people. Defense cuts are coming. And if you don't change the level of ambition, then you have to do the same thing on the cheap. Military benefits are the easy target, and the politicians will let the miitary leaders to the dirty work, making the hard decision between your "earned" benefits and what we have deluded ourselves (with lots of help) into believing is imperative in the name of our national security. The result will put the squeeze on the short term veteran and the "working age retiree". Have you heard that new phrase? That means you've retired but you're young enough to not need your benefits. Cutting your military "handout" is a lot easier than messing with the defense industry…which by the way IS our economy.
The military is the enforcement arm of the executive branch. The Congress authorizes and funds the things it wants us to do. They approparite all this stuff and then blame us. Nice, clear thinking, Barney.
Every year The elected gov will get a 3% cost of living increase, compounded yearly. It will take me 2 years to get ,just on their 3% increase. They will have that for life. Self preservation is the most important thing in life. Mirage is for the purpose of the preservation of life, after life, so life will continue. The mirage between government and people needs a legal separation. We can't live with them any more. They've became too dangerous.
Blaming Rep. Frank for an assessment that is actually on the money and suggesting he's going after the military member's benefits is a pretty shortsighted POV. If he goes after those benefits it will be because the Defense Department are the ones saying those benefits are on the table. Blaming the possible messenger and not the institutionalized diminishing of military members' service to their nation. If everyone in, or who ever wore the uniform of the armed forces stating in writing that they're benefits are more important than another expensive weapons program that probably won't ever see the battle field things might change. You all know this so stop blaming the man in the situation and change that situation from within. Make your voices heard. Be civil too. Otherwise politicians will pretend to be on your side and sell you down the river at their earliest convenience, i e, when you're not looking.
It’s easy for people to come here and say we need to pull our troops out of other countries such as Japan and Germany, but they aren’t looking at the big picture. Yes the wars need to end, but our established bases are fine. If we pull out of those countries do you realize that that is going to cause a RIF? All of those guys aren’t going to come from overseas and just slide into a conus position. That means our unemployment rate is only going to go up. Not only that, but we weaken our response time to any overseas threat. So sure, you may save some money initially, but you hurt us over the long run.
Blame the military. Pretty sad coming from a do nothing Congress led by a do less President.
HEY Barnie (I didn't know my Boy Friend was running a Male Brothel from the basement of my house) Frank,
The reason why S&P downgraded our credit rating. Believe it or not is because you guys in Congress couldn't get your house in order. You guys have got to stop spending money you don't have.
A real good 1st step (if you were serious) would be to freeze all spending to 2010 budget (Ah wait you guys didn't pass a budget in 2010. You guys too busy voting in a Trillion Dollar Health Care Bill). So let's take it back to 2009 budget. everyone gets paid and we can still pay down our debt.
Like every other Liberal,Barney Frank has an inherant bias against the military; his statement isn't surprising. Hopefully after Nov. 2012,the inmates won't be running the assylum anymore.
governmentgonewild dot org slash specialinterestsexposedvideo
The federal gov't itself, and the federal reserve, are the cuprits. The fed "loaned" out 16 trillion in secret bailouts since 2008. Revealed in Ron Paul's audit of the fed last month.
How many millions did he make again did our good ole boy fleece from Fanny May a few years back and just last asked congress ya appove 14.5 million more to Fanny to help them recover for the bad loans from a few years ago. WHAT: Bailout #2. Where is the money going Barny?
It is amazing how our elected officials are more interested in their own power base than the security and welfare of our country. Hopefully, someday, they will realize that the only reason they have a seat to sit in in a representative government is because of the strength of our military. The military is an instrument to enforce political policy. When you start cutting that element of strength, there will be someone else, namely a foreign power, calling the shots – and there will no longer be a House of Representatives or Senate . How dumb can you get?
Barney Frank better ask an aid who is to blame, since he is obviously without a clue. The executives of S&P stated unequivocally it was the result of the Tea Party Congressmens unwillingness to compromise. It is time for Americaans to begin paying attention to who they are electing. Uninformed voters have turned this country over to the large corporations. We need to take this government back.
My husband just retired and he is hired by a contactor, however he is not making anymore than what he was making in the militery. I do agree that some contractore take advantage of the government, but I feel the governmnet is just at fault as the contractor. The government should be enlisting military members to do the job or they should find someelse to do the job. There are a lot of contractors who are just as good but will not take advantage of the government.
Good for you and your husband, unfortunately, the government will hire all those retired generals or high ranking officers who do not know any better. But if the government looked for good people like your husband the elected officials would have to way of buying votes! My hat is off to you and your honest husband.
j ha dont act like you are kis-as every one understands o.k.
It is not military, they are just a tool. Blame the politicians for having U.S. military presence in other countries
Okay, lots of good points. How about back to the subject. Yes Barney may be an idiot, BUT he isn't after your paycheck or your benefits – "Frank is not blaming the cost of military pay and compensation, his issue is with the amount of money spent to on being “the military policemen of the world."
We have maintained armies in defensive postures in South Korea since 1953, Japan, Germany and all over the world since 1945.
These countries have been self sufficient for a long time. We need to get our people back in the Continental U.S. We have wars to fight here. The military could be bolstering the Border Patrol and Homeland Security at less cost than waiting for Russian tanks to come rolling into Europe.
I did a little check and there are approximately 320 million people in the United States.
I watched a news program that quoted us as spending 550 million U.S. dollars in aid to a third world country.
I would propose that we stop sending “aid” outside our borders and invest it internally… we could make each and every American a millionaire and still contribute just over 2000 million dollars toward the national deficit… *** are our politicians and president Obama thinking that we have not stopped the spending where no Americans benefit from it? Well none except the politicians lining their pockets that is…
CORRECTION: …still contribute just over 200 million… not 2000 million.
Well, congress and Franks are at it again. Don't they realize that if it weren't all the troops who put thier lives on the line 24/7 that there would not be a job for those idiots? I wish that the people of the United States would wake up and realize just how stupid the liberals are and how bad they hate the military and the Secret Service, who protects their butts. The liberals are now trying to change the military retirement system and from what I gather, it will be tied to the Stock market and we all know how bad that is. Just go to the link below and see for your self. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/08/15/pentag…
Yes once again our government is blaming the military. Naughty! Naughty! you shouldn't be policing the world. You should be policing the people who send you. All it would take is for our government to blame our representatives who took forever to come up with a plan. We need some new blood that is running our world. Come on people get your BLANK-BLANK-BLANK together.
Barney Frank, like so many liberal/progressive politicians want to blame somebody – anybody bu themselves – when the government doesn't look good. The military, those who truly serve their country, are an easy target for the spineless politicians that don't serve anything but themselves.
I hate to say this, but this guy's crazy. Going into Iraq was questionable sure, but not Afghanistan. And the Navy has to deal with the pirates in the Horn of Africa. He's saying this now? Iraq is going to be coming to an end soon anyway.
Barny are you related the dinosaur? The next time we Americans are attacked. Lets see how well you do with a sling shot. Don't be looking for a David to save your A$$. It appears that Yahweh is turning his back on you!
Everyone please go to: https://forms.house.gov/west/webforms/contact-for… and let Allen West know that we support him and need him to throw his hat into the ring now. Letting the media and Washington decide who we the people should elect. This is our chance to let Washington and the media know that we are tired of their tactics and we will decide who we are going to support. Majority of the people say they like Congressman West and would get behind him if he would run. Well, what are we waiting for? Can you imagine if the teaparty got behind Congressman West? Washington and the media would go crazy. If the people were able to get Eisenhower to run, when he had no intentions of running, then I don't see why we can't get behind Congressman West. Maybe if we have everyone travel to his district and have a rally of his behalf. Can you picture that? Millions of people flocking to Florida rallying for Congressman West? Wow, the media and Washington DC would go crazy. We can do this and make the change that we want in our government. I do believe that Congressman West would come to the aid of his country. Every candidate running has baggage, and as far as I'm concern not very trustworthy.
we do need to stop being the world police. america is always in some countries business. we need to worry about our country. we have war on our streets everyday..gangs, the drug trade, and poverty and most of this happens right outside of the white house. lower the military pay is the about the dumbest thing i have ever heard and im not just saying that as an army wife, but because when it is time for us to throw ourselves into fray we will have soldiers who are paid well enough so that they are willing to risk their lives for our country
sorry about the speling but u get the jest
It must be hard to think clearly when you're being sodomized on a regular basis, Barney.
I hope the CIC gets the message instead of "dancing with the guys who brought him to the party."
I swear..WHAT a bunch of retarded folks running this country media wise, politician wise..and rich person wise. At this rate..WHY not just termainate ALL federal employee, all state, government, city, town, workers, from the top (the president of the USA) right down to the littlest of polticians. Between their cost of paychecks, healthcare, pensions, etc..WE should be able to get out of the red on our debt..and have plenty left over in the positive for the future …
Does anyone read these articles before they start posting?
"Unlike some DoD officials, Rep. Frank is not blaming the cost of military pay and compensation, his issue is with the amount of money spent to on being “the military policemen of the world.”"
Mr. Frank isn't attacking military benefits in any way, shape or form. He's simply stating the obvious – that our out of control defense spending needs to get reigned in, and avoiding placing troops all over the world is the obvious place to start.
Our military is a volunteer force, but it certainly isn't now, nor has it ever been, intended to be some jobs program that exists to guarantee that people can get a steady paycheck. It exists to defend the national security of the United States of America and I guarantee you that if I were an elected official I would cut military spending in every single area that wasn't directly affecting national security. Get used to it. You signed up to serve the public good, and if your leaders in the Pentagon and Congress have misused or overextended the involvement of US troops around the world, that's just a harsh reality. We spend more on defense than any other nation on earth. What's the end result? In the next 25 years we'll see a smaller, more capable military that isn't deployed every time some president gets the urge to start a war.
I'm a retiree who is currently working for a major contractor at an overseas Naval base …even though I retired as an E7, I make less money here than an E2 with less than 2 years.. plus there is no COLA-no housing allowance-no COMRATS. Not all contractors make big bucks … though some do. My company is extremely wasteful though … it chooses not to buy new repairable parts for the planes we maintain (for a Navy squadron) but spends a fortune moving repairables from one site to another when needed to keep a plane flying …an example from last week, rather than buy a new indicator at a cost of $4000, the company did an overnight transfer from Korea to Europe at the shipping cost of $7200. What is the logic in that?
I think he is on the right track that we should not be the policeman of the world, however there needs to be start with the foreign aid. Out of the 192 more less nations in the world, the US provides either financial or military support to 154 of them. The falls back into the arms of our legislators due to the way the do business. And liver lips Barney is one of them. Nuff said.
I think that if you really want to cut spending, then all of congress need to take a pay cut. This country is all about cutting spending but the ones who are trying to cut the military are the same ones who make at least $280,000 a year. If a soldier is an E-4 or below have to get food stamps to feed there family, but they have to put there lives on the line 24-7. Everyone needs to wake up and tell congress to take the cuts on there saleries not ours. Those people that have never been in the military need to shut up. The military is protecting you here in the USA, by fighting these wars that we have been in or are in now. If you don’t want to go fight the war then quit complaining.
I think Barney… although a disgusting homo, is probably not wrong about pulling us out of some of the policing rolls we are in. But, I think we should first, and foremost, get out of bed with the Saudis! The majority of the terrorists that attacked us on 9/11 were Saudis and all we do is kiss their asses. I also think we should pull out of countries that just use us to increase their net worth since they don't have to have a powerful military because of our presence, i.e., Japan and Korea… they've made enough money from us.
It amazes me that congress always finds a way to blame someone else for decisions that only congress makes. We can only go to a war if congress sends us there. The President can't and the military doesn't get to vote on it. Everywhere US Service people are in the world is a direct reflection of congressional decisions. Have you ever heard congress say that their pay and benefits are part of the solution and by cutting them we can ease the problem. 2 years in congress and a retirement forever?
I am no fan of Barney Frank and we will have to wait to see what he proposes. However, the majority of posters need to reread the article. The biggest complaint is that Frank is attempting to cut pay and benfits for servicemembers. The article specifically says:
"Unlike some DoD officials, Rep. Frank is not blaming the cost of military pay and compensation, his issue is with the amount of money spent to on being “the military policemen of the world.”
I don't like Rep Frank's positiion's on almost all issues but he may have a point here. The military is overextended and deployed is some areas where there are questions of whether or not we have a national interest. This is an issue for our civilian leadership and a serious debate needs to take place about what the role of the military will be in futture foreign policy.
Yes, Barney Frank is an idiot, however, don't think it's just democrats coming after the benefits and all politicians. We need to mobilize and write every freakin congressman & senator and let them know if they vote to enact this piece of shit proposal, we will vote to get rid of them in 2012
Well guess who makes the Military of the United States be the Policemen of the World You do Mr Frank you and all the members of Congress and Our Esteemed Leader the grand President of the United States . Thew Military cannot just run off and start knocking of people and Countries its you people that we elected to govern in our best interest so I guess its to your best interest or at least you seem to think so as you keep sending our Military oout to get shot at killed and maimed and run up what you call the dexbt we have.
If a country or nation needs our help, let them put up several trillion dollars up front to pay for our services, when that money runs out, they need to put up more money, or we leave, simple as that, stop rebuilding these places we are in, start collecting the monies owed us from past conflicts and wars. and reduce politician pay and benifits to what each state votes they should get. Howmuch money have I just saved the country, Vote for me when I run for office.
I think Sen Franks retirement needs to be reevaluated. Maybe all of congress and the sen needs a BIG ADJUSTMENT. Want to cut spending, I can think of a few thousand ways that Congress and the Sen are spending that should be cut. We members of the armed forces serve our country with "Blood, Sweat, and sometimes Tears", only to be the target everytime Congress and Sen over spend. Well, I served this country faithfully for over 42 years, and am now finally trying to enjoy my retirement from the military with my family, now Sen Franks wants to endanger my HARD EARNED money, well, Sen Franks you can Kiss My back Side, if you think I am just going to roll over and allow you to cut me and the many thousand of GI's across this Land. Watch out come election time, you may find yourself on the otherside of the coin.
I would gladly take a ten pecent cut in the DoD — IF we would cut Medicade, Medicare and social secuity by the same ten %. Between these big four: DOD, Medicade, Medicare and Social Secuity (along with interest on the debt)is most of the federal budget. Can't take a cut on interest on the debt but by cutting spending we can get after it. Of course all these issues are symptoms….real problem: the entitlement attitude of most Americans. Any member of congress who goes after these four is UNpopular.
My first thought about "cutting" is to cut the size of the house to 100 people as the senate is. Seems to me if 2 senators from each state work OK so should 2 representatives. Make each state truly equal in this picture. If the house is cut naturallyy there will be a lot less staff being paid by us and a lot fewer offices and buildings needed or the upkeep for them. These excess buildings can either be torn down or sold off. Enact term limts on the house and senate immediately. Also needed is a plan for keeping track of the congressional attendance when in session. A "NO SHOW" for a day does not receive pay or benefits for that day unless it's a family emergency or valid illness on part of the member or family. The problem with getting any of the various things done goes back to the "Golden Rule", he who has the gold makes the rules and obviously the rule makes aren't going to sacrifice anything pertaining to themselves. If they quit spending the "excess" mony in SS the system might even be solvent. Who in their right mind even believes that the so called IOU's they put into the system will ever be paid back.
To Rep Frank…
Hey bugnutz, the military just goes and does as it is told to go and do. The last time I checked WE weren't allowed to meddle in, or influence the politics of the US government. That's YOUR job… and it seems to me you are effing it up. Again.
barney frank should cut fannie may freddie mac which 5 years ago he was told there was a problem with them and he refused, then when the market collapsed he said he didnt know there was a problem. Oh thats right , his boyfriend is one of their executives. imagine that.
I agree that the all volunteer military is expensive with educational benefits , pay and other perks.Don Rumsfield said you get a better class of Soldier with all volunteer.I take issue with this as there were gold Soldiers in WW 2 and Korea and we were not all volunteers and the perks were a hell of a lot less.NUFF SAIDBig Mo
I agree in part with Frank –
We are not “the military policemen of the world.” and that is part of the problem but the main reason for the downgrade was " Congress" and their little friends called " Tea Party"
Sure, our President and the lazy democrats are to be blamed here as well-
Democrats, we don't need speakers and preachers, we need leaders- Republicans, we don't need cry babies and hostage takers, we need adults . ;-)
Maybe it should be a requirement for any politician to be first in the military – ;-)
Bushs fault!
right!
Buchs fault!
Thats what the president would say.
Come on, Barney. I’m sure our credit rating falling has NOTHING to do with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the stimuli, and an out of control spending appetite from the Democrats. The S&P noted that the downgrade was because you and your peers in Congress have no indications of recognizing our country’s dilemma and not serious or not understanding how to get us solvent again (without qualitative easing and floating the dollar). In fact, what started this whole mess is your friends in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lending to people who had no business buying homes and you are the one who pushed the whole thing. We are not dumb, sir, and your contempt for us is noteworthy. I suggest any begining of any cuts should start first with your posh benefits from self serving in Congress. You make me sick!
It never fails to amaze me, how they always blame the military. They get us into these wars, so they can live high on the hog, while we are dieing overseas. They did it in Vietnam in my era in the military and their doing it in your.s. They want to cut your pay and my retirement pay, lets get together and vote them out
Here's MY mantra. For every encumbant in office that has been there before 2004, PACK YOUR BAGS. Remove congressional, senate and presidential retirement, remove congressional senate and presidential health care, cut congressional senate and presidential travel budget 75%, remove congressional senate and presidential exemption from any and all legislation. TERM LIMITS, 2 TERMS and you are out of federal elected office for life.
I bet that my mantra does more to benefit the nation than anything barney frank can do, short of leaving office.
Fwanks is only trying to cut spending on defense so he can give more money to indigents and the dependent parasites on our economy. Those are the pathetic, useless, liabilities that keep him in office. He is playing to his base.
Just focusing on Sweet Barney's comment of "world policeman"…. he does have a point! We do have a lot of soldiers in places that are of questionable value at considerable operational costs. PERHAPS we could establish some Regimental Outposts along our border instead. But then the Mexican Gov't might protest….and considering our economic malaise it seems that Mexico may see a stream of Americans looking for jobs down there.
The members in congress work for the special interests.Term limits for members elected to congress. Veterans in this country make your voices heard.
If they really wanted to know where to make cuts in the DOD then pull some airmen or privates to the side and ask them. I have 10 ideas that would save the DOD 100 mill easy..
Have you ever noticed how congress never mentions them taking pay cuts or reducing their benefits.They are our country's biggest thiefs.
There is a major difference between spending military money effectively and responsibly versus cutting military funding. The military CAN'T be blamed for what it is told to do, but it CAN be told to enforce better policies.
It seems that they have it all figured out. Let the civilian contractors represenatives figure out how to save the money not by reducing procurement cost but by killing the military pay and retirement. If the military must change so must all frderal employees to include Reps/Sen.. They cost a hell of alot more than the military does. If you include all their perks/benefits, plus pay and the cost of their staffs perks/benefits,pay ,retirements., their cost far exceed ours as a whole. Change the retirement system and loose the force.
What is this sausage queen Barney Frank commenting on? He has never been in the military. He is a marxist.
Our pay and benefits are on the line. Some may not get that from this article, but that is the case. Read the latest artice in the Army Times called "Frugal Future". There is one thing in this that I agree with, bring our troops, or at least most of them back to The United States. We are one of thousands stationed overseas and it is absurd the amount of money U.S. Military members spend overseas, helping out other Country's economy. We should be on U.S. soil spending money and helping our economy. Oh and lets see another way to help the economy would be to quit allowing U.S. companies to move overseas and hire cheap labor, and U.S. citizens losing their jobs. Has anyone gone through their home and looked at the labels? How many of those prodocts are made in the U.S.?
Go FRANK yourself Barney!
Has Rep Frank thought that the military budget including being policemen of the world is the reason the credit rating wasn't reduced earlier?
One word Barney Frank….Jackass…end of rant.
The Military’s pay, benefits nor enlistment, need not be cut… Bringing home some of those stationed in "non essential" bases should be returned and the border protected. Keeping the finances given to, and spent by the Military, in the US would make a great impact on the economy. Our trade agreements revisited by contract negotiators who actually care about the GNP of US could revolutionize the economy overnight. Opening up the lease agreements for the domestic oil companies to take our own oil out of US soil which has more oil and natural gas than Saudi Arabia or Iraq ever had. Quit listening to the "green goblins" and coffers for the global warming syndicate and recognize that those who stopped our production of domestic oil are the same ones who have great "stock" in green energy and the annihilation of the US economy.
We are at war with those who see the US as the demigods of all that is evil. Rep and Dem alike have personal motives for financial gain to remain in their office. The Tea Party is vilified because it sounds the Clarion Call to stop politics as usual and bring common sense into the running of these great United States, as a business that wants to succeed instead of a bankrupt "good idea". The Tea Party, the troops and those at home support the idea of the Home of the Brave….We must stand against those who have know idea what the cost of blood has been. God bless our Military and our Country. United, in the ideas that made this country great. Reagan, GW, Clinton, RFK, all were human– and all had failings but I believe they loved America and the nation for which she stands….that is the base we need for a President…not to be perfect, but to keep his "letter in his breast" which speaks of love and fidelity. Semper Fi
It is amazing how all these congresspeople can blame everyone around them for the nation's fiscal short comings without looking at themselves as the ones who actually control the purse strings of the federal budget. The military did not hold a gun to Congressman Frank's head for a vote on military expenditures.
It has also been reported that the military retirement system is going to be drastically altered for future servicemembers in an effort to try to balance the national budget. I think this would be a perfect time to also review pay and pension benfits of those in the federal legislature.
Compare benifits with risk and see who comes out in front.
Sure blame the military, always a scapegoat for that bunch of incompetent idiots on the hill. If they had to have their salaries, medical, vacation, retirement and etc based on the rest of the working class, they would think twice about their egos and work for the people!
Be careful what you wish for on others. It may come back on you. Dislike a politician all you like but, it is evil to wish such a horrific death on him or anyone else. It just makes you look irrational and ignorant for posting something like that. Try re-reading the article to see what was said. It's not clear you understood it, just used it as an opprotunity to rant.
This is typical! Never blame yourself!! He is probably getting looked at for something so, he is throwing Flak around to avoid looking at his incompetance in the Mortgage Crises, which he was the main contributor of! He is a idiot but, we as voters need to vote them out. He has been there for well over 20 years. What does that say for the Mass. Voters!!!
Due respect to all those who have expressed valid remedies, above, but we should remember – we have not been attacked by any of the nations we have invaded.. Sept 11 is an excuse. Japan attacked Pear Harbor on December 7, 1941 and declared war on this Nation
Barney Franks has a point. The State Department needs to renegoiate the Nato pact. For 60 some years we (U.S) citizens have paid the majority of the cost for The North Atlantic Treaty pact. We have 52,000 troops in Germany
9,000 in England approximately 3,000 in Italy plus their families, we are spending money on the their economy to provide housing, Food , fuel and other items to the U.S. Military and their dependents.
Our Government also needs to look at the cost of The United Nations Charter and reduce the Cost to the United Nations. .
A note to the President and to Congress ,It is time to read and understand
Abraham Lincoln's Inaugural speech made in 1861. I quote it here for all governmental officials.
Abraham Lincoln quote dated 4 March 1861. " THIS COUNTRY, WITH ITS INSTITUTNS, BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE WHO INHABIT IT. WHENEVER THEY GROW WEARY OF THE EXISTING GOVERNMENT, THEY CAN EXERCISE THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT OF AMENDING IT, OR THEIR REVOLUTIONARY RIGHT TO DISMEMBER, OR OVERTHROW IT"
.
ZANE DAY
Another way to get rid of senile, over the hill congressmen and women is to have term limits. If its good for the president its good enough for congress and judges.
Barney the babbling idiot is at it again. He also said that allowing people loans through Freddie & Fannie that they couldn't pay for from the loan inception to buy a house didn't any affect on the economic bubble busting. He and Dodd were part of the banking committee that killed at least one bill in Committee in 2004 to reign in the loan practice of F & F. He was part of the problem of packaging these loan and selling them to companies like Goldman Sachs them he voted to bail out these companies. He wasn't alone in the idiotic fictitious bail out but he was certainly part of it. He voted for the failed Stimulus, Obama care (that will create 1600 IRS & DHHS taxpayer paying jobs & other taxpayer funded costs) and the Michelle Obama School lunch nutrition bill just to name a few costly spending bills we taxpayers are saddled with and now he's contending it is the military spending that is the problem. The people in Massachusetts need to wake up and vote this imbecile of Congress out of office (we have a like thinking socialist imbecile here in Tucson but we are having a problem with to many voting freeloaders in his district to get rid of the 30 year in Congress leach – maybe it's the same in BF's district).
It is time to remove all the slug politicians of both parties from Congress and get Government out of our personal affairs, demand PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY of parents on nutrition, school lunches, medical care, child care and spending. Frank and politicians like him are driving us in to Government dependence socialist society. Ask Greece, France, Portugal, Spain and UK how that's working for them. Margaret Thatcher said it best "Socialism is great until you run out of other peoples money".
The latest IRS stats I've seen show that about 48% of our wage earning people pay ALL the tax income to the Government (that includes the 1% that are the super rich) and about 52% of the wage earning workers pay NO income tax at all. Everyone that works needs to have money in the game!! True tax reform is also needed.
There exist too many political Neophytes in our Federal government. Moreover Capitol Hill civil servants possess Ostrich syndrome. It is time for a “Dum Check” Our economy remains in shambles because our civil servants charged with economic oversight would give their private parts away to appease disparities if they were not attached.
I like all,comments; But ! let us change the law, for congress; no retirement,after 4 yrs. Have go 20 or more yrs.how much would we save?Than maybe they will understand hardship too?
The cold-war strategy of NATO produces ad hoc military management without an end-game. NATO impedes the new-world order that dictates new operational mandates. NATO original constituted a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. Politically, the organisation sought better relations with former potential enemies to the east, which culminated with several former Warsaw Pact states joining the alliance. NATO IS OUTDATED!
The UN utilizes NATO remnants as a whipping stick in roles such as sending trainers to Iraq, assisting in counter-piracy operations, and most recently enforced a NATO-led no-fly zone over Libya in 2011 in accordance with UN SC Resolution 1973.NATO typically infer United States. Our so-called allies correspondingly take advantage of us as the world policemen contributing token; half-hearted inputs to the war-fighting efforts. Their methodologies contribute nominal commitments to retain NATO inclusion for what it is worth
For example, the US DOD overwhelmingly bankrolls Libyan rebels; Afghanistan provides tacit approval to bed down of US Forces as long as budgetary commitments favor their economy. Pakistan self-serving agendas are akin to weeping crocodile tears and bloodsuckers.
Just don't take this big economy move out on the poor GI such as revamping the military retirement system. Perhaps we should re-evaluate who are our friends and cut back on foreign aid. We could also re-evaluate our role as global policeman. Many of the countries we provide protection to could well afford providing for themselves.
Let's face it, Frank is correct. With the military taking up 1/3rd of the nation's budget, it is part of the budget problem.
Now that the threat is terrorism, we don't need a 19th century-style military anymore.
Barney Frank is an embarrassment not only to Massachusetts, but to the nation as a whole. This man is one of the architects of the failed mortgages law that was implemented back in 1998 that allowed anyone to own a home regardless of down payment. Thanks to this legislation, Dodd-Frank Bill, anyone could buy a house with little or no down payment, and President Clinton signed the damn bill into law. And now, this freak from Massachusetts wants to put the blame for the S&P downgrade on the shoulders of the military? Who's the failure here, the military or Frank? It is exactly because of lawmakers like Frank that our country is in dire straights, and why anyone from Massachusetts would continue to vote for him escapes me. We can't continue to keep failures and embarrassments like Barney Frank in office, and I hope the good people of Massachusetts will vote him out next election cycle.
I think it's time for our elected officials to vote themselves a pay cut. (Let see how far that goes)
Poor Barney. Maybe he would be happier in another country.
Barney Frank and all other Congressmen should take a 15% pay cut as mant Americans have, also Congress should be taken off their private retirement plan and be put on Social Security, use some of that money to catch up their SS and the remainder to go to thae Treasury, estimated savings 17 Trillion, next move there free medical insurance to a pay plan like the rest of the Country, estimated savings1 billion dollars. Now were out of debt and going forward, in the + column 1 Trillion. If someone ran on the Independent Party Ticket and were to suggest, HELL DEMAND, that person would get elected in 2012, ANTY TAKERS? PASS THIS ON!
Why do they insist on targeting the biggest mandate that the government has? It always seems to be the first thing that they look at.
It is not the mission of the United States and the President to spread democracy around the world. Hell we cant even take care of ourselves. No matter who started the war what is the mission/ What do we think we are going to accomplish? Afhganistan has been there thousands of years before America and it is still there. If our president thinks that we are going to eliminate the terrorist threat I have a bridge for sale.
Sell that “Bridge” to Queeney Frank. He would probably try to buy it with money that isn’t his. But first, he would have to know if it went anywhere – Remember that Bridge to No where ??? I understand they are trying to build another one just like it, maybe your bridge would satisfy their appetite.
Barney Frank isn't targeting military pay and compensation. He's looking at the 700+ bases the US Military maintains. Did you know we have a Coast Guard base on the Dutch island of Curcao in southern Carribean? Why should we maintain a base there? We can't afford these bases anymore. We can't afford a military budget that equals the rest of world combined!!
Read the article again and you can see exactly where this is heading:
"Getting the U.S. military out of the role of “world policemen” isn’t going to happen anytime soon. This means that military pay and compensation may end up being the logical “soft” target for Frank’s military spending cuts."
If you want to give up your military pay go right ahead. I am a disabled vet and I can't afford to give up my pay. I will fight for it.
CW3, USA, RET
Barney Frank is a NUT with ears!
To Chris Alexander – I hope you focus on ousting the Tea Baggers. These are protesters that got hold of the Republican Party. They only care about cutting spending and cutting taxes – That's their whole agenda – That's all they live for. If they stay in power or gain more, you can bet military pay, compensation, and retirement will be headed for a long trip south!!! They don't care about anything, least of all YOU!
Based on the content of both of your posts (along with the assumption that your rank is that of a Lieutenant Colonel), you don’t seem to have much of a grasp on where Frank has targeted initial budgetary cuts, or what the Tea Party is about. I would have thought someone with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel would be more knowledgeable about the issues and current events. Barney Frank is in line with your type of leadership. Take him by the hand as you both travel the same path down a very unpopular and perilous demise.
Democrats who have been on a spending spree since 1965 are responsible for the credit downgrade. Republicans who joined them in the pork and buy votes empire building are responsible to the degree their actions contributed to the debt.
Total spending by Democrats far exceeds that of Republicans and independents.
The current president has requested, endorsed, called for, signed into legislation and spent more in his first two years than his predecessor did in eight.
The Democrats under Senator Reid, former Speaker Pelosi and now President Obama have spent more since 2006 when they took over than all other administrations since George Washington… combined.
Rep Frank is one of the key Democrats who pushed easy money mortgages, no and low down payment mortgages, variable interest rate, no down, no documentation mortgages for low income persons and others who couldn't afford them through Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac putting the full faith and credit of the government behind them and thus is responsible for the mortgage crises which causes a global economic meltdown and almost pushed the entire world into a major depression.
Any objective examination of the record of the last 46 years will find plenty of blame to be spread around but would have to conclude that the facts of history put the majority of the irresponsible spending for all spending at the clay feet of the big government, central planning, socialist, big spending, save the world from themselves, pie in the sky, bleeding heart, hypocrite Democrats.
Fudge packing dork
why don't he go over and fight with our military this will open his eyes to what they go through.and if we are lucky this idiot want come back,and to,take obumber with you.
That is some wishful thinking and I like it. But, Barney Frank is a POS he hasn't sacrificed anything in his entire life.
Barney Franks is an idiot. Why anyone listens to him is beyond me. He is one of the key contributors to the housing melt down. When he speaks it reminds me of a certain cartoon character. Abeet, abeet dats all folks! lol
Read the article again and you can see exactly where this is heading:
"Getting the U.S. military out of the role of “world policemen” isn’t going to happen anytime soon. This means that military pay and compensation may end up being the logical “soft” target for Frank’s military spending cuts."
If you want to give up your military pay go right ahead. I am a disabled vet and I can't afford to give up my pay. I will fight for it.
CW3, USA, RET
Frank is a FOOL !!!!! havent served a day in the military. Since he blame the military….it was to save his ASS!!! OR DID WE?
They want to cut military spending?? Then try taking a look at ALL the outside contracts the military has and are paying when the Military is and has been trained to do these very same jobs!!! Or if you want to decrease Government spending, start looking into the pay of our Government officials (IE White House, Senate, House of reps).
Rick (United States Navy)
Barney Frank is a moron that shouldn't be in office. He as overstayed his welcome. I don't understand with all the idiotic comments he has made how the people of Mass. can still vote for this guy. I hope he is swept out with the rest of the trash in 2012.
Where did I last encounter this attitude towards the military? Ohhh Yeaaaa, I remember. at San Franscisco Airport , on my way home, returning from Viet Nam ! When they froze us out at beginners wages w/no raises, and asked us how many babies we killed while we were there ! Barney Frank, Shame on you Maggot !
THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!!
Congressional Reform Act of 2011
1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.
2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.
3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.
4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.
6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.
7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
You hit the nail on the head Gary run for congress, we can work from the inside.
Well, well, a democrat trying to balance the budget on the backs of soldiers…now there's a surprise…NOT.
1. Military spending is only 1 slice of the pie. Do we REALLY NEED all of the weapons programs that are being purchased? I agree that we need to stop sticking our noses in the business of other countries. How would this country react if we were being invaded, bombed or attacked with cruise missles?
2. Another slice of the pie. Start reducing the amount of money that we send to other countries. A 50% reduction the 1st year and a 50 % reduction in the remainder of of the money the 2nd year would be a start.
3. Still another slice of the pie. Immediately eliminate ALL of the pork that Congress gives out every year.
4. Stop giving Social Security payments to those who have not paid into it.
I believe that you get the idea. But a very big idea is to STOP VOTING FOR THE SAME PEOPLE THAT ARE IN OFFICE NOW.
Alan get with Gary above and run for congress, we can work from the inside
What did you expect????
Firm believer in the judicious application of Marshal Law. Can't say I'd be too upset if a "fed-up" general took a division of bad-asses (maybe the 82nd or the 101st) into DC led by a couple of columns of tanks to surround the Capitol, go in and round up all the trouble-makers the the voters are too stupid or too corrupt to vote out and transport them to a "holdnig facility" somewhere, and then head up to Penn. Ave and post a Regiment outside "just in case".
Yeah, I know. Caesar and the Rubicon and all that. But I don't think one of our Generals would refuse to give up power and remove the troops once sanity had been restored.
How much money did Frank make on the TARP program? Since he can't tap military spending for his own personal gain, why should he care about military personnel? He is a disgrace in many ways to our country.
The author of this article is using fictitious speculation and false equivalencies to incite anger against Barney Frank, and more broadly, democrats.
The author's statement "This means that military pay and compensation MAY end up being the logical “soft” target for Frank’s military spending cuts." is an insidious and intentionally inflammatory use of fear mongering. The key word is "may." Yes… and tomorrow the sky MAY fall…. The author's clear intent is to have readers see 'Barney Frank is going to cut (my) military pay and compensation.' which incites unwarranted fear and anger.
Shame on Military.com for giving this author a platform to spread his deceptive misinformation.
I wonder…were you one of those who were happy Teddy Kennedy was so effective at assassinating Robt. Bork's character because he MIGHT have voted against Roe v. Wade?
Just wondering….
barny Franks don't know his ass from a hole in the ground.
I don't know what good cutting a buck private's pay is going to do. Deconstructing the military industrial complex just isn't going to happen since there is an endless cycle of money spent on lobbying in order to get money from contracting. I think it would be wonderful if they did cut back on military spending (not pay or benefits) but I don't really believe that it is going to happen.
Barney Frank, the bofoon who created Fannie Mae and then appointed his boyfriend as overseer of a program,which has been driven in the red and still asking for more bailout. Of corse he is not targeting military pay(sarcasm) but since him and the rest of his buddies will not be able to tackle the real military expending woes, the next "logical and prudent" thing to cut back on would be active duty/retiree cost of living raises and cut back on our medical benefits(tricare). His bunch was the same which used to protest the Vietnam war and call the returning soldiers "baby killers" John "The Coward" Kerry even made a living of it .
As much as I despise his gheyness….he's right on a lot of points. It would also behoove lots of posters on here to read the entire article and not just the misleading headline!
ummm…when we "volunteer", we accept everything that comes with service… We don't always agree or understand, but we do our job…whether we're "sent" overseas, or stay at the desk in the CONUS!
Damn you military spending…. It can't have a damn thing to do with CONgress and the PresiDENT spending like a bunch of drunken sailors in a whore house after being at sea for 9 months…. Then again, It can't have a thing to do with Obamacare, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Stimulus 1, 2, 3, ad infinitum, debt overload, the Feds financial policies, Obama and the Democrats ignoring fiscal solvency to buy voters, and yes some Repubs (Rhinos) as well…. Take away their pensions, their perks, and their medical care and make them live like everyone in the streets. How many have gone to DC as Mr. Smith to emerge as a Mr. Buffett
Take congress off private retirement and health care, our debt will be gone and we will have surpluss. Any Veteran running for congress on that platform will get most of the other Veterans VOTES.
Take congress off private retirement and private healthcare, we will be out of debt and even have a surpluss. The money thats in those plans bring their Social Security to current year and rest can go to Housing Homeless Veterans and seek better treatment for Veterans with PTSD.; Any Veteran that runs for Congress on that platforn will get many Vet VOTES<, we can work from the inside. Call it THE VETERAN PARTY!
Who would want to go into the military voluntarily if there is no incentives to risk one's life doing so? The problem is the bloated bureaucracy we call the Federal Government! They need to reduce and change their way of spending our money! Also get off the stick and start finding ways of bringing back American businesses to create jobs for Americans! Incentives and tax breaks would be a start.
I would to kick Barney Frank in the ass for just plain fun! Some of these idiots we have in these positions should be horsewhipped in stockades in the Rotunda of the US Capital Building! They make all this bureaucracy and problems,then we are stuck paying the bill!
Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid also come to mind for many of our financial woos! Just pass the bill without even reading it to see what it has inside later! You all will be surprised after it is passed! She needs to be flogged in the Rotunda as well! God, I cannot stand these arrogant, ignorant, obnoxious, idiotic, socialist loving communist we have in office!
Security spending, which includes defense, is just over half of discretionary spending (which is 32% of the entire budget) or about 17% of total spending. If discretionary spending is 32% then the rest is medicare, medicaid and social security (non discretionary spending). This knucklehead wants people to believe the military is the problem? I think this idiot holds a grudge against the military for "don't ask, don't lie". This is also the jackazz that told us there was no problem with Freddy's and Fanny's solvency when McCain wanted to investigate them (of course it didn't help that the head of Fanny or Freddie was Barney's gay lover). Anyone that gets their economic advice from this moron should get their head examined.
Barney all you have to do it tell the President to recall all the troops from around the world, poof problem solved.
As I read some of these comments, I wonder who these people are. Barney frank is is one of the worse senators in Washington. However our military men and women should know what the attempt to take down government all around the world ,Bush,Clinton,Bush,Obama talks about the one world order and the people you trust is trying to usher it in. Obama is trying to put American under the control of the UN and the UN gun ban! Henry Kissinger said America is stopping the one world order because of our constitution and our right to bare arms. Barney Frank hit the nail on the head when he said the military had to be stopped from being the police of the world. It would be great if the people that post would check the facts,the DoD are against losing their power. America is in trouble and the spending has to stop. Americans has to have jobs. Clinton made the statement that they gave Africa 550 million dollars and that is the start. If the senate ratifies the UN treaty we will lose our constitution and the right to protect our family and property against criminals.
DocGay,Barney Frank now there is a DADT kind of a person.It is as the old saying goes,"It is always eazyer to blame someone else than yourself". HELL our GOVERNMENT has been putting the SCREWS to us sense the begining of time.If the real people of the USA have to take a hit in money or benefits then the elected officals should have to share the cost…YEA RIGHT!!! That will never happen in our life time.Living in the USA is like playing Russian rullette,you only have a small chance on not getting hurt. But what can we do? VOTE these A.H.O.L.E.S. out of office NOV.2012…De Oppresso Liber
I do not believe we are doing a great deal of good by being in Iraq and Afganistan and would withdraw our people. However, until we can create more jobs for our young people, I would not kick the soldiers out of the military unless they had a job to go back to. I have seen a lot of waste that can be cleaned up and should be cleaned up. We need to think of some positive things for our young people to be involved in before they follow their UK example.
I am Retired US Army and I have always said that the US Military should not become the worlds police force. They need to leave the Military benefits alone. I also think that we need to stop giving money to other countries and keep it here in Americe. We also need to fire the whole Congress and send them.
Not hard to believe that a Democrat makes such a stupid comment. I don't know what that parties deal is with the military but they seem to dislike the military for some reason. They always want to cut defense spending but never any of the social programs which are of dubious success. Rather then attacking defense spending perhaps we can spend less on welfare and absolutely cut welfare benefits to recipients who are on drugs.
Wow! I see you all are a bunch of whinning, unable to understand the real issues a holes. Your blaming the Democrats only shows you don't know what you are talking about. It makes you sound weak and very stupid.
You are dead on Angie, but these idiots won't get it. They are clueless. As I sit here in the desert in the Middle East, in all of this heat, I do it for whining idiots that are at home in their air conditioning blaming Democrats. I hate those who constantly try to divide us. We, who are still serving, have a hard enough time trying to build cohesive teams with people of all backgrounds, races, political affiliations etc. We do a great job at it but it is people like these on this site that make if difficult. Keep in mind that young soldiers read this site and showing disrespect to the government, to the Commander-in-Chief has consequences, negative consequences and the bottom line is it is not patriotic at all. Stop the political divide especially on this site. It is not the place for your political demagoguery.
I agree with the intent of the article and your sentiments but I wish you would have chosen a different title. The one you used is very misleading: the Military IS our sailors, soldiers, marines and airmen. Many people don't read past the first couple of lines in an article. A title like that is inflammatory and somewhat inciting toward the wrong reason.
Why not fire all the Tzars and save $5,000,000.00 (approx) in salaries that
Obama pays them to create all the new regulations that are destroying the
United States! Than demand that Congress change their retirement benefits and salaries before they touch the Military retirement pay!!
There are over 700 military bases on foreign soil…. Most countries do not want US Military in their country. We spend over $200 billion annually on bases abroad. I am sure our government, and citizens would object to
Argentina constructing a military installation in Miami. Our boys would be better served on our own soil.