Actually no, it wouldn't be bigger than China's. The PLA has approximately 2.5 million active personnel and 1.2 million reserves and the U.S. Armed Forces (combined) have less than 1.5 million with almost the same number in the reserves.

 

I was just talking in terms of defense budget, not active personnel.

I was just talking in terms of defense budget, not active personnel.

 

That's fine but just be specific.

 

And wouldn't you take a smaller military (which would still be much much bigger than China's) for a balanced budget?

 

Reads like your are talking personnel.

That's fine but just be specific.

 

 

 

Reads like your are talking personnel.

 

You're right, it does. Just misworded it.

Obama vs. Reagan: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703995104575389430430274968.html?mod=wsj_share_facebook Reagans plans worked... Obama's haven't..

You do realize that much of government waste is in salaries and benefits for positions that are redundant, don't you?

 

To me, the greatest way one could impact government waste is to consolidate and computerize agencies that use similar or same data. For instance, unemployment, medicaid, medicare, housing services and food stamp services (to name just a few off the top of my head) could be consolidated. One data base and one staff should suffice. I saw an article somewhere either this morning or yesterday about the explosion of positions in the intelligence community. There was a quote there about the intentional redundancy in some areas to ensure complete communication among agencies. I can believe that. But I believe the number of separate agencies was close to 2000, and the number of positions is 10,000. Really?

 

I know your comment is rather old, but you are 100% correct. I work as a government contractor, database administration, and the Army systems I work with are out of date, redundant, and most do not interface with each other. One system to track property, one system to track parts, one system to track maintenance, one system to track financial data, transportation, you get the idea. A major reason there are so many systems that do not interface is money. Each system is owned by a different contractor. Each contractor lobbies DOD to keep their system. Then there are the systems that attempt to combine the data for reporting and tracking. It is completely wasteful and ridiculous. All these systems waste money and man-hours.

 

There is a major initiative to combine most of these systems that has been in the works for more than 10 years and is just now being tested at a base in California, but like most government programs it is progressing like pond water in Alaska. Not to mention the prime contractor is a German base company.

I think the Democrat party needs to move back toward the middle.

 

AND WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!

I think many Republicans, if honest, would say Clinton didn't do a bad job. His personal affairs were are different matter. Obama is no Clinton.

 

Clinton used a big fat credit card and pushed all of the debt onto Bush. Clinton dealt with no war. Didnt have much to worry about.

Clinton used a big fat credit card and pushed all of the debt onto Bush. Clinton dealt with no war. Didnt have much to worry about.

Really? You mean those Clinton-era budget surpluses were just mirages?

 

Bush dealt with two wars ... one that was wholly unnecessary.

You do realize that much of government waste is in salaries and benefits for positions that are redundant, don't you?

 

To me, the greatest way one could impact government waste is to consolidate and computerize agencies that use similar or same data. For instance, unemployment, medicaid, medicare, housing services and food stamp services (to name just a few off the top of my head) could be consolidated. One data base and one staff should suffice. I saw an article somewhere either this morning or yesterday about the explosion of positions in the intelligence community. There was a quote there about the intentional redundancy in some areas to ensure complete communication among agencies. I can believe that. But I believe the number of separate agencies was close to 2000, and the number of positions is 10,000. Really?

 

Here's a perfect example. Medicare doesn't "talk with" Medicaid. Countless - and I mean countless - man hours were spent in our mental health center processing crossover claims. And we were the smallest comp care in the Commonwealth.

Really? You mean those Clinton-era budget surpluses were just mirages?

 

Bush dealt with two wars ... one that was wholly unnecessary.

 

We didnt have a war during Clintons time. Hence less spending. And Bush has had no unnecessary wars.

And Bush has had no unnecessary wars.

 

Wow. Do you really believe that?

We didnt have a war during Clintons time. Hence less spending. And Bush has had no unnecessary wars.

Duh, Iraq ...