Converation thread

The defence budget of the US is nearly $900 billion, whereas China's is less than $900 billion. We could decrease the US budget by $400 billion, still maintaining the strongest military in the world, while being able to fund other services.

If we cut the US defense budget by 300-400 billion, we'd still be able to make advancements in technology while still being the most powerful military in the world and having extra money to fund other services (like space exploration). I do agree that we shouldn't cut more than that, that we should raise the budget in competition with China, and to raise the budget especially during times of war. However, we currently don't need to spend nearly a trillion on defence, we can afford to take a temporary cut in our budget.

Oh, well, if it were only so simple as to just slice a few hundred billion off the defense budget, like it's a piece of cake, right? But let's not forget, it's not just about maintaining the military.

Consider this: a significant portion of the defense budget goes to providing benefits and services to veterans, including healthcare and pensions. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, in 2020, they provided healthcare to over 9 million veterans and paid out more than $80 billion in disability compensation.

So, if you cut the defense budget, how do you propose we…  Read more continue to support our veterans? And remember, any cut to the defense budget would not just affect the military's ability to defend the nation, it would also impact the livelihoods of those who have already served.

And let's not forget the geopolitical implications. If America scales back, that leaves room for other nations to step in. We need to consider the balance of power in the world, and how American military presence, or the lack thereof, could shift that balance.

So, what's your plan for supporting the veterans and maintaining global stability if we were to implement such drastic cuts?