Socialists, Kristol Attack Obama Over Defense Budget — Socialists Right On The Facts

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The pirate drama of the past several days didn’t just trip up USA Today vis-à-vis the defense budget. It also snared Bill Kristol.

In an appearance on Bill Bennett’s radio show yesterday, Kristol affirmed Bennett’s portrayal of the administration’s plans to reform (and enlarge) the defense budget as “budget cuts.”

KRISTOL: Unfortunately, given the world we live in, this is not something we can skimp. And that’s another thing I hope the president realizes….

BENNETT: Budget cuts. The defense budget cuts, right?

KRISTOL: Well I hope he thinks about that.

In fairness to Bennett, though, Kristol is arguably a repeat offender. Meanwhile, Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) sat down with the editor of the Midwest City Sun and “expressed that one of his greatest concerns are [sic] the cuts to military spending.”

He said, while he generally thinks President Barack Obama spends and taxes too much, he thinks he is underfunding the defense budget.

He further explained his concern that as defense spending is cut, it will have a direct impact on Oklahoma, with its many bases and support services for these bases.

“If you squeeze defense, you’re going to hurt the Oklahoma economy in some way,” he stated. He is also worried that as the legislature makes changes to the oil and gas industry that Oklahoma will take a hit that way as well.

Back in February, Cole said government spending was “a recipe for disaster,” noting that the stimulus bill “creates 30 new federal programs and agencies, growing the government to the largest size ever.” The Department of Defense, which procures contracts in Cole’s district, is also a government agency.

In good news, though, the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) gets the defense budget story exactly right. “Despite corporate media claims to the contrary, the defense budget submitted to Congress by the Obama administration for 2010 includes an overall increase of 4 percent over 2009,” writes Jonathan Miller of PSL. But don’t mistake their corrective note for being a sign of support. “While millions are losing their homes and jobs,” Miller adds, “the Obama administration is extending U.S. wars that oppress and murder people abroad for corporate profit.”

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