(AP) Sen.-elect Paul: GOP must consider military cuts

[MRoCkEd]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jyJoi5I_6agGZ1CRTWP0vsZNNtug?docId=ed99cd69b 82b4e6ebb0b101420a0cfc4

[Icymudpuppy]

Tell Rand to get specific and start with the cuts that nobody can argue against. Eliminating our airbases in western Europe for example.

[Bern]

Go Rand Go!

Icy - I've seen you post a similar message in at least one other thread now. That sort of detail is usually done in chambers, not the papers. Working the issue through the media is a mistake IMO. You shouldn't rely upon them to be your ally or tool. They are not reliable.

[TheDriver]

Rand Paul Scares ABC News With Talk Of Military Cuts

http://capitalistbanner.com/2010/11/07/rand-paul-scares-abc-news-with-talk-of-military-cuts/



No doubt the military cuts was the headline... ABC news missed it... :rolleyes:

[sailingaway]

Tell Rand to get specific and start with the cuts that nobody can argue against. Eliminating our airbases in western Europe for example.

He mentioned a lot more specifics than that. Go to the other thread and watch the interview.

[RonPaulFanInGA]

Well this is not going to go well over on FreeRepublic.

"Cut spending for everything except the military! Raise the military budget!"

[Patrick Henry]

Well this is not going to go well over on FreeRepublic.

"Cut spending for everything except the military! Raise the military budget!"

This is the same site with the "daily war porn" thread. There are some good folks over there, but for the most part that place is full of warmonger neo-cons.

[DeadheadForPaul]

The military cuts were a small portion of the overall discussion

This is a clear attempt by the MSM to get the GOP to dislike Rand

[thehighwaymanq]

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/spending.htm

I think we can cut some. Amazing numbers

[RonPaulCult]

The bad news: All of the neo-cons who helped him during the election will turn on Rand and start calling him a "kook like his father"

The good news: All of the paranoid people on here who didn't trust Rand will start liking him because he's a "kook" like his father!

[specsaregood]

Tell Rand to get specific and start with the cuts that nobody can argue against. Eliminating our airbases in western Europe for example.

Isn't that where we fly wounded soldiers to heal/be operated on?

[Galileo Galilei]

This should lay to rest any allegations that Rand is a neocon.

[Matt Collins]

That woman was obnoxious.

[Matt Collins]

"I have closely analyzed and scrutinized Rand Paul's positions, and they are identical to his father's... the only difference is the wording" -- a very well known intellectual who shall for now remain nameless.

[silentshout]

Good for him!

[HarryBrowneLives]

RP's argument is very valid, and the argument should be turned around.

We've been supporting, via military welfare, the weathy countries of Europe since WW2. There are HUGE naval and air bases all over europe in places like Italy, Spain, etc. These countries spend a pitance even in terms of percentages on what we spend as a country on defense. IF we truly believe in self reliance, a gradual drawdown of US forces and our support of some of these bases in these countries would be better for the American taxpayer, better for these european allies, and, in the end, better for security and democracy in the world.

[durden0]

So I jotted down quickly what specifics he mentioned to more easily quantify what he said. All together I heard 6 specific things he would cut. Not a great number for a 10 minute interview.

Specific things I heard him mention cutting:

-Entitlements for 55 and under.
-Raising Retirement age possibly.
-Freeze Federal hiring
-Reduce federal employees by 10%
-Reduce federal wages by 10% - Except soldiers
-Reduce number of troops by reducing involvement in wars



"I believe in 2.2 Trillion dollars in government, not 4 trillion dollars of government" -Rand :(
I'm not sure if he was being literal with this quote or not. But I suppose a 50% cut in government would be a good start.

[rich34]

So


"I believe in 2.2 Trillion dollars in government, not 4 trillion dollars of government" -Rand :(
I'm not sure if he was being literal with this quote or not. But I suppose a 50% cut in government would be a good start.

Ya reckon?

[cswake]

I'm not sure if he was being literal with this quote or not. But I suppose a 50% cut in government would be a good start.
I wouldn't interpret it as anything other than him saying the first priority is achieving a truly perpetual balanced budget. We can worry about cuts after making that miracle a reality. In fact, it will take cuts of 36.8% of the Federal government to do it.

Boehner and Cantor are saying that 100 billion in cuts (2.6% of the budget) will be difficult to achieve... imagine 14x that.

[Agorism]

To Paul's detractors,

Rand's term will not last 6 weeks or 6 months, but 6 years as Rumsfeld would say.

[angelatc]

No doubt he'll take flack, but 65% of the people in this country think that something is seriously wrong with our foreign policy.

His Dad has been re-elected with a far more outspoken opinion, and every two years.

[starless]

Isn't that where we fly wounded soldiers to heal/be operated on?

We have already closed most of our bases in Europe. There are only 2 left in Germany. And yes, there is a major hospital used for wounded war vets that are airlifted out of the desert.

[cswake]

This seems to say otherwise:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_military_bases#Overseas

[Brett85]

We have already closed most of our bases in Europe. There are only 2 left in Germany. And yes, there is a major hospital used for wounded war vets that are airlifted out of the desert.

I don't think so. We still have 50,000 troops in Germany, and most of them are simply used for police actions there.

[bronc_fan23]

We have already closed most of our bases in Europe. There are only 2 left in Germany. And yes, there is a major hospital used for wounded war vets that are airlifted out of the desert.

I can count four in the general vicinity where I lived in Germany. We still have many bases and installations, mostly in Bavaria.

It is true though that we are slowly but surely decreasing our presence in Germany, but we still have major bases there for transporting troops and training with NATO countries.

[starless]

I don't think so. We still have 50,000 troops in Germany, and most of them are simply used for police actions there.

I was stationed in Germany for 3 years and just got back to the states in January. There are only 2 active air bases and a handful of scattered army posts. There has already been a significant drawdown compared to the 80s and 90s.