Most of us on the Right have heard of “Butter over bullets.” It’s about Government spending priorities and the ramifications of putting one ahead of the other.
Does the US set a priority of being able to defend this country (a Constitutional mandate) or a priority of continuing wealth transfers from some to others? “From Marx’ each according to his ability to each according to his needs” more simply put as “take from the rich to give to the poor.”
And now we see (like we couldn’t have figured it out on our own), the Union Leader, of all places, letting us know that when you act like Europe and spend your defense funds on “butter,” you will have fewer “bullets” – and it could not come at a worse time.
The U.S. Navy will request funding for eight new vessels in the next fiscal year budget, down from the 12 originally sought in a Trump administration blueprint meant to build a vastly larger fleet of ships and submarines, according to budget data and officials.
…The new request signals a step back from the Trump framework, which called for 403 battle force ships, up from about 296 manned ships today, and 143 unmanned vessels by 2045. The director of the Office of Management and Budget at the time, Russell Vought, had called the Trump plan “a credible, affordable road map for achieving maritime supremacy — all while tightening our belts — and sending a strong message to our adversaries like China.”
The Navy request may be the dollars-and-cents reflection of a reality voiced by some lawmakers and Navy leaders that amid trillions in coronavirus pandemic spending, there’s little new money available to buy many new vessels as the service is hard pressed to maintain the ones in inventory.
So, what will happen with a militant China outbuilding and creating what is now the largest Blue Water Navy in the world?
This isn’t about just waging war, it is about free shipping and commerce – and isolating countries if desired.
The US has made the High Seas a veritable trading table, guaranteeing free passage from all countries engaged in lawful commerce (e.g., no covert gun-running type activities). Will China do the same? If you think so, have I got a wager for you!
Where in the Constitution is wealth taking and redistribution an enumerated Power, and don’t start with the US Constitution’s preamble that has “promote the general welfare” as that is not an operative declaration of an enumerated Power – just an “opening” for the test of the document (read this for a better explanation).
Where is it stated that the Federal Government is supposed to be the chief entity of “providing relief” for the poor? Shouldn’t this activity be “reserved for the States” only? After all, NH has codified into law that each town and city must have a welfare office to provide such a service.
Why the duplication?
And at such a price to where a Constitutional Mandate cannot be kept? Because our elected Representatives have refused to follow the boundaries ingrained in our Founding Documents – it’s the old “overreach and expansion” problem that was really put into motion by the Progressive FDR (i.e., Social Security was called that euphemism because “Widows Welfare” gave the game away”).
Look at Europe – their armed forces are moribund and Germany can’t field much of anything anymore. But it can spend a lot on welfare, especially illegal immigrants (just like we are doing). Let’s face it, it was only under Trump that the effort was made to have them make NATO nations to meet their promised to spend just 2% of their GDP on protecting their countries.
If you are not willing to defend your country, history shows that there will be others that will show you the wrongness of that thinking. Don’t think that just because we are in “modern times”, my question to you is “how bad was that F you received in high school history class”?
And now we see the US being challenged by a rising China and a belligerent Russia (of the two, I fear the former over the latter) – and we have an aging military. I am no hawk – I know what war does after looking into my sons’ eyes and watching them recover from it this past decade. But when our government is directed by those that either doesn’t believe it can happen here (or worse, WANT it to happen here), we have problems.
And I still can’t believe that the UL touched upon this.
