Gates Says ‘Hard Choices’ Needed on Weapons Spending (Update1)
Jan. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the Obama administration must make “hard choices” on weapons spending that could include targeting specific programs, according to a draft of his testimony tomorrow to the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“Any changes” Congress makes to the 2010 budget “should avoid across-the-board adjustments, which inefficiently extend all programs,” pushing out schedules and increasing costs, Gates said in his prepared comments on weapons acquisition.
“Five programs account for half of total cost growth in weapons spending,” Gates said. These programs are Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter; Boeing Co.’s Future Combat Systems; Virginia Class attack submarines built by General Dynamics Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp.; the Pentagon’s primary satellite-launch program, a joint effort of Lockheed and Boeing; and a program to destroy the U.S. stockpile of chemical weapons which includes a number of defense contractors.
I would be nervous if my livelihood depended on any of the first four of five programs mentioned. The fifth has no chance of failing under this Congress.
Do we think there ought to be an Economic Calamity Commission? Some august body of bipartisan investigators to determine 'Who shot John?'
I think so. For the sake of argument, let's say the Ridiculous Bill gets passed. It just addresses the symptoms. Where is the list of root causes (not just articles by various authors) and prescriptive fail-safes to help make sure that this does not happen again?
Our economic ship has run aground. We are trying to right it again, but what is going to keep the Brooksley Born's from being shouted down or the Harvey J. Goldschmid's from being ignored? What about the command climate needs to be changed? If we don't change those problems, this will all happen again. Senator McCain called for this commission back during the campaign, but we haven't heard boo about it since. We are making a grave mistake if we don't ask "why?" until we get to the bottom of it.
How about...when the Dow starts to exhibit sustained above average growth in certain sectors, let's take a closer look at what is going on. How about setting up modified trading curbs that address developing bubbles?
This commission could address all of these issues.
I should point out that one of those guilty of ignorning Mrs. Born's admonitions about unregulated derivative markets is the new head of the National Economic Council. This makes sense. You helped lay the groundwork for the current debacle, so we are going to make you clean up the mess. Kind of like in the Navy. The OOD doesn't call the Captain and doesn't listen to CIC's recommendation and the ship runs aground. Does said OOD get anything other than canned? I don't think so.
TdP - Have you ever watched "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" about this couple who had twins then went on to have 'non-sex'tuplets? (see http://www.sixgosselins.com/about/about.html/). Anyway, they have been a huge commercial success with their TV show and, while I can't know the real motivation behind Octo-(uhm-think James Bond here) in choosing to (1) get pregnant again or (2) set herself up for 8 more of those puppies. Nonetheless, I will not be at all surprised if she starts searching around for a TV contract to be just like Jon and Kate, or at least just like Kate. The Jerry Springer crowd will be flocking to the fertility clinics to see who can break the next birthing record and get the next TV contract. I'm not keen on killing unborn babies, but I could absolutely support state-sponsored sterilization of a whole bunch of fellow citizens who demonstrate they are not ready to handle the responsibility of using perfectly good oxygen, let alone raising children. And for those J&K+8 fans who are about to come unglued, I was not talking about them.
and I was not serious about supporting state-sponsored sterilization either. The state would probably screw it up and it would just become another tax burden.
I know that I missed the Friday date and am posting this on Saturday but I have been watching with interest the development of a narco-dictatorship in Mexico and believe our national interest will be truly threatened by a bordering country and wanted to know your opinion.
"Nato to have military presence in the Arctic as melting ice leads to scramble for energy reserves"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1131848/Nato-military-presence-Arctic-melting-ice-leads-scramble-energy-reserves.html
NATO's finally paying attention to CW.
Gates Says ‘Hard Choices’ Needed on Weapons Spending (Update1)
ReplyDeleteJan. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the Obama administration must make “hard choices” on weapons spending that could include targeting specific programs, according to a draft of his testimony tomorrow to the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“Any changes” Congress makes to the 2010 budget “should avoid across-the-board adjustments, which inefficiently extend all programs,” pushing out schedules and increasing costs, Gates said in his prepared comments on weapons acquisition.
“Five programs account for half of total cost growth in weapons spending,” Gates said. These programs are Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter; Boeing Co.’s Future Combat Systems; Virginia Class attack submarines built by General Dynamics Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp.; the Pentagon’s primary satellite-launch program, a joint effort of Lockheed and Boeing; and a program to destroy the U.S. stockpile of chemical weapons which includes a number of defense contractors.
I would be nervous if my livelihood depended on any of the first four of five programs mentioned. The fifth has no chance of failing under this Congress.
33 year old mother of octuplets already has 6 children???
ReplyDeleteExistence of a father has yet to be mentioned!!!
Grandmother asks, "What was she to do, kill the babies?"
Indeed, it's called selective termination, and it's a shame it wasn't performed 34 years ago.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDo we think there ought to be an Economic Calamity Commission? Some august body of bipartisan investigators to determine 'Who shot John?'
ReplyDeleteI think so. For the sake of argument, let's say the Ridiculous Bill gets passed. It just addresses the symptoms. Where is the list of root causes (not just articles by various authors) and prescriptive fail-safes to help make sure that this does not happen again?
Our economic ship has run aground. We are trying to right it again, but what is going to keep the Brooksley Born's from being shouted down or the Harvey J. Goldschmid's from being ignored? What about the command climate needs to be changed? If we don't change those problems, this will all happen again.
Senator McCain called for this commission back during the campaign, but we haven't heard boo about it since. We are making a grave mistake if we don't ask "why?" until we get to the bottom of it.
How about...when the Dow starts to exhibit sustained above average growth in certain sectors, let's take a closer look at what is going on.
How about setting up modified trading curbs that address developing bubbles?
This commission could address all of these issues.
I should point out that one of those guilty of ignorning Mrs. Born's admonitions about unregulated derivative markets is the new head of the National Economic Council. This makes sense. You helped lay the groundwork for the current debacle, so we are going to make you clean up the mess. Kind of like in the Navy. The OOD doesn't call the Captain and doesn't listen to CIC's recommendation and the ship runs aground. Does said OOD get anything other than canned? I don't think so.
TdP - Have you ever watched "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" about this couple who had twins then went on to have 'non-sex'tuplets? (see http://www.sixgosselins.com/about/about.html/). Anyway, they have been a huge commercial success with their TV show and, while I can't know the real motivation behind Octo-(uhm-think James Bond here) in choosing to (1) get pregnant again or (2) set herself up for 8 more of those puppies. Nonetheless, I will not be at all surprised if she starts searching around for a TV contract to be just like Jon and Kate, or at least just like Kate. The Jerry Springer crowd will be flocking to the fertility clinics to see who can break the next birthing record and get the next TV contract. I'm not keen on killing unborn babies, but I could absolutely support state-sponsored sterilization of a whole bunch of fellow citizens who demonstrate they are not ready to handle the responsibility of using perfectly good oxygen, let alone raising children. And for those J&K+8 fans who are about to come unglued, I was not talking about them.
ReplyDeleteand I was not serious about supporting state-sponsored sterilization either. The state would probably screw it up and it would just become another tax burden.
ReplyDeleteMudge
ReplyDeleteI'm familiar with J&K+8 and their weekly pimping out of thier future dysfunctional brood on TV. They are a despicable couple.
I'm sure this latest brood mare did just as you theorize and got a turkey baster full of embryos implanted in order to get her own TV show.
I know that I missed the Friday date and am posting this on Saturday but I have been watching with interest the development of a narco-dictatorship in Mexico and believe our national interest will be truly threatened by a bordering country and wanted to know your opinion.
ReplyDeleteAn outgoing intelligence official (not sure CIA, NSA, EIEIO) noted that the third biggest danger to the US, after Iran and North Korea, is Mexico.
ReplyDelete