The Pros And Cons Of Defense Spending

Introduction

America is a global powerhouse. Its military might is unparalleled in modern history, and it is the most feared nation on Earth. Men and women in the military courageously risk their lives every day, and the US government labors to keep Americans safe. There is a point, however, where the government may be doing too much. America spends more on its military than the next 8 highest spending nations combined. The United States’ government has high military spending that is only increasing, which leads some to believe America is operating under a Permanent War Economy. The theory of the Permanent War Economy states that a capitalist nation looking to maximize its profits can only produce goods and take consumers’ money so often before

Proponents of the Permanent War Economy may point to this as evidence for the War Economy mindset pervading our government. However, that is not the case. Politicians typically cater to their constituents’ needs. They support increases in defense spending because high government spending creates economic opportunity for the citizens they represent. Congress members are acutely aware that if they vote for a decrease in defense spending, it would have direct short-term effects on their constituents, which would mean political suicide. Although they vote in favor of defense spending increases, the people in Washington know that the current levels of spending are unadvisable and unsustainable. Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates said it best: “this department simply cannot risk continuing down the same path – where our investment priorities, bureaucratic habits and lax attitude towards costs are increasingly divorced from the real threats of today, the growing perils of tomorrow and the nation’s grim financial outlook." Further investment in the military is a temporary solution to accelerating the nation’s economy. The government must look towards other government funded sectors for avenues to pump money into the economy, and lawmakers must be brave enough to take the necessary action to end the military industrial complex that the

Education had only $389 million in private investment last year, all of which was in conjunction with government initiatives to raise test scores and promote interest in learning. (Simon) This number palls in comparison to the billions of dollars that privatized companies invest in the military sector. There is a clear necessity for more spending on America’s struggling education system, and there is hardly any private presence that could get in the way of increasing government spending on