It’s time to rein in our outrageous defense budget

August 8, 2016

OPINION by JIM DUENOW

The conventions and literally hundreds of speeches are now over. None of the speeches, including those by the nominees, mentioned the gorilla in the room. Namely our ridiculously swollen defense budget.

We spend more than 50 percent of our federal budget on defense annually. As Rand Paul pointed out, we spend more on the military than the next eight industrial nations combined.

In addition, we are the world’s supplier of arms and armaments.

We are in the thrall of the military industrial complex that President Eisenhower warned us about. We are not likely to get out since politicians can’t seem to talk of this for fear of being labeled “soft on defense.”

Meanwhile, millions of our citizens wallow in poverty with inadequate education, healthcare and crumbling infrastructure.

We must find a way to reverse this or some sort of fascism may be around the corner.

Jim Duenow has lived in San Luis Obispo County for 50 years. He is a civil trial lawyer, now semi-retired, who has served on multiple San Luis Obispo City commissions and committees.