Given our financial problems - deficit, trade-balance, currency-parity, human needs, infrastructure, etc. Do you agree we should drastically cut our military spending? If not, how would you meet our needs?

Given our financial problems - deficit, trade-balance, currency-parity, human needs, infrastructure, etc. Do you agree we should drastically cut our military spending? If not, how would you meet our needs?
Asked by: gary knott from Silver Spring, MD

Asked of All Republican Senators on May 14th, 2008

Categories: Defense. Tags: use of our money.

Answer from: U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH)

Well, to begin with the military spending as a percentage of the federal budget is less than it used to be. The biggest part of the federal spending is entitlement spending, that’s 60 percent and military spending represents about 15 percent. So I would think their question should have been: “Should we cut domestic spending in non-military accounts?” Since the first obligation of a federal government is to defend the country.

Matt Laslo: But it seems like everyone is afraid of entitlements – do you see any political will…?

Gregg: Well, we’re gonna have to face up to them because they are going to overwhelm our capacity to pay for them pretty soon.

**NOTE***: Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) is the ranking member on the Senate Budget Committee

Answered on Jun 24th, 2008