Federal government spending and the resulting deficits are perhaps the greatest dangers to the future of our republic. As a constitutionalist it is relatively easy for me to suggest areas where federal spending can be cut. By reviewing Article 1, Section 8 and the 10th Amendment of the Constitution one can see that the federal government has grown far beyond what the founders had in mind. There are many departments and programs that should be zeroed out. Places to start would be the Department of Education, Amtrak, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Planned Parenthood, the Commerce Department and others.
I am not just some “hardhearted conservative.” I suggest another area of out-of-control spending: Department of Defense. Recently, the House passed the defense budget for the year which is $690 billion, including $119 billion for the Iraq and Afghanistan undeclared wars. According to recent reports, our defense budgets lately have equaled the sum total of the yearly defense spending of the rest of the nations of the world combined. I am supportive of our military but we simply cannot afford this level of spending and consequently be the policemen of the planet.
Legally, we should not be involved in the Libyan operation as Congress issued no declaration of war. President Obama is ignoring the War Powers Act. We should never have invaded Iraq and should have gotten out of Afghanistan several years ago after we could not find Bin Laden.
Our military and industries should not be in those two nations building their infrastructure when ours is falling apart. And we should not have tens of thousands of troops in Japan, Germany and other parts of the world.
There is no question that we must defend ourselves when threatened and when our genuine interests are at stake. But no matter which party is in control of the White House and Congress, foreign meddling continues.
The view I have outlined is not isolationism, but rather a foreign policy of commerce and diplomacy and noninterventionism as envisioned by the founders.
Jerry Shuster
Gheen, MN
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