Legal Commentary

Not Cutting The Defense Budget Is Good Stimulus Policy

By Big Tent Democrat

d-day complains that:

Allow me to interrupt the great love-fest between liberal foreign policy bloggers and Bob Gates by stating the obvious - isn't the fact that the Pentagon budget is increasing, um, THE PROBLEM? And considering that the media-Congressional complex will characterize any effort to put an end to outdated Cold War-era weapons systems as a "defense cut", in the most irresponsible way possible, why aren't we limiting expenditures on a military budget that costs far more than any country's on Earth, depriving us of the flexibility to pursue meaningful social investment?

I have no opinion on the national security implications of the Gates Defense budget but I do have an opinion on calls to cut the Defense budget now - it is wrongheaded. In case anyone has not noticed, aggregate demand is nosediving. Jobs are hemorraging. At least for the next few years, no part of the government budget that stimulates the economy should be cut (though changing expenditures can make a lot of sense, especially changes to more stimulative spending.) Heck, I think I can make a good case for bailing out Detroit for a couple of years as an effective stimulus measure. Once we have gotten through this Depression we are in, then we will need to undertake significant cuts in the discretionary budget (as well as significant tax increases, particularly on the wealthy.) But not now.

Speaking for me only.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on April 08, 2009 (boomark / email).