A Day in the Life

Disclaimer: I spent eight years on active duty in the United States Air Force and a little more than thirty-five subsequent years as a Department of Defense civilian at various times for the United States Army, the United States Air Force, and the United States Navy. When we speak of the 'military-industrial complex,' except that I'm extremely simplex, I am the poster child. 

Last week one of my local daily newspapers, in the regional section (though if I recall correctly it was on the front page of the first section, admittedly below the fold) offered a "Report cites 'outstanding' year for Connecticut's industrial base" that unless you were reading it carefully you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a jobs/prosperity story.

Here in the Land of Steady Habits, but not just here, war and preparations for it are good business, except when they are great business and business is booming right now. Every single year, like clockwork, the National Defense Authorization Act, NDAA, breezes through the lower and upper chambers of our Congress with rarely a voice raised, ever, to question 'what the fuck do we need all this weaponry for?' much less 'against whom are we planning on ever using it?' It's like all of our representatives were raised by my mom who used to say 'don't ask the question if you can't stand the answer.' 

And here's the obscene part about our national defense spending. The United States in terms of dollars expended is #1 in the world, and we have the foam finger to prove it, outspending the other nine nations in the Top Ten, combined (eight of whom are, more or less, and depending on the day of the week, our allies). 

Meanwhile, the same Congress that makes sure we have all the killingry we could ever want or need, looks at pressing national concerns such as universal affordable health care, college student loan forgiveness/free college and/or trade school, living wages for every worker and a dozen other critical elements of livingry and always asks 'who is going to pay for this and how?' 

I'm thinking this could be the year the Air Force has a bake sale to pay for an F-35 or perhaps the Navy can offer magazine subscriptions to pay for a submarine. Or, as has been the case since forever, probably not.

-bill kenny