Military spending needs cut also

To the Editor:

The (Nov. 2, 2010) elections will usher in a new Congress, who will be expected to consider the recommendations of the Deficit Reduction Commission.

Both the Commission and our incoming Congress must have the courage to make real cuts to our military budget instead of sacrificing crucial spending on human needs.

We cannot seriously address the budget deficit without cutting the military budget, which takes up 59 percent of the discretionary budget and that doesn't account for overruns, including $300 billion above what Congress authorized for various weapons systems in the last five years.

If the military budget were halved (not counting the cost overruns), the U.S. would still be spending more than the next five highest spending countries' (China, UK, France, Russian Federation, Germany) military budgets combined.

As an example, those funds might be used to send 30 million Americans, one-tenth of the U.S. population, to college... every year.

Fifty-five members of Congress recently wrote the commission outlining specific cuts to the military budget and I truly hope that their advice is heeded.

Military spending is out of control and is the best place to look for cuts.

Sincerely,

William James,

Terre Haute