Government Belt Tightening

[QUOTE=Mean Morone;499121]The financial problems in this country were not created because we don't pay our fair share. We pay plenty in taxes. Instead of politicians saying what needs to be said, which is we are spending way more than we take in or borrow, they just try to make us mad at fellow citizens just to get more of their money. I don't want to take from them, but rather be like them. Constitution, what's that?[/QUOTE]

I agree...we just got to live below what we make so we can start paying back the debt. What bothers me most about all this, is our elected leaders just don't seem to get what is really important and what is nonessential spending.

If you are every close and can, stop in to Fort Knox. I understand construction supports local builders, I understand local workers are hired. The Offiers club is being expanded thought their are fewer officers on post, they are just of higher grade. I do agree with demolition of old buildings not used as a valid expense to avoid the expense of upkeep on an empy building. But look at the video signs around post, the sidewlaks for bikers no one uses, the revamped parade field that would have served just fine as an open field to conduct ceremonies without fancy bleechers. Improving the roads made sense, but not adding the 9 mile walking and biking trail I have yet to see anyone use. Just examples, a microcosm.

Add solar panels to the roofs of buildings that need reroofed, and get a good ceiling as well as generate energy that lowers the govt utilities bill. Sell the excess back to the grid, so local energy companies can lower costs to consumers.

Stop sending more, thousands of troops overseas, when a single nuc can send the simple, very eloquent mesage, that:

1. Adversaries will never abide by your sense of law or fairness untill they have met and experienced your overwhelming force. It took that to stop the British, the Civil War, WW1, WWII, and with out a shot fired, the Cold War. Osama and Hussein would concur, they know, they learned.
2. Exerting the ultimate force just once against an enemy, says "this is what you can really expect if you don't stop. If you stop, we will work with you, like we did with Japan, and Germany." Japan found out Americans will only sacrifice so much innocent American blood before we exact a price that requires them to reconsider and select peaceful alternatives.
3. Here's the tie in, we can reduce military spending, greatly, if we don't have to send troops to the sandbox, because those folks in the sandbox know now with no doubt, we will leave them in ashes if that's what it takes to defend ourselves, and our soldiers and livce in peace. The "sandbox goes to glass when they don't, and it's a tranquil sea when peacefull discssions replace terrorism". Will innocent civilians be caught in the aftermath? Yes, as they were in Japan. Did Japan finally realize the value of their innocent civilians, and decide they were too precious to sacrifice? Yes. It's tragic it had to come to that. It's been peaceful since it did.

[QUOTE=HURRICANEBOB;499150]I agree...we just got to live below what we make so we can start paying back the debt. What bothers me most about all this, is our elected leaders just don't seem to get what is really important and what is nonessential spending.

If you are every close and can, stop in to Fort Knox. I understand construction supports local builders, I understand local workers are hired. The Offiers club is being expanded thought their are fewer officers on post, they are just of higher grade. I do agree with demolition of old buildings not used as a valid expense to avoid the expense of upkeep on an empy building. But look at the video signs around post, the sidewlaks for bikers no one uses, the revamped parade field that would have served just fine as an open field to conduct ceremonies without fancy bleechers. Improving the roads made sense, but not adding the 9 mile walking and biking trail I have yet to see anyone use.[/QUOTE]

It's been since very early this year or late last year that I was on post. I know what you're talking about...I was part of some of that construction. I worked on the Community Center (the one with the Star Bucks Coffee Shop on the one end of it) as well as a couple of the new neighborhoods they are presently building or have already built. I can honestly say when the government builds something they build it right. Of course too...code requires them to. In one instance they saved some old living facilities...what was once housing for a family of four they turned into housing for a family of six to eight. This is no joke...they took what was once a multi-family dwelling unit that could house ten families and turned it into a multi-family dwelling unit that will now house five families. I walked through several of those old housing units...and for as old as they were they were in very good shape. Judging from what I saw...I'm under the assumption that a military family is no longer a family of three or four...but more like five or six because in this multi-family dwelling unit I described, these were units that were being turned into five-bedroom units, two full baths, a powder room (toilet/sink), family room, etc...

[QUOTE=Chubminnow;499167]It's been since very early this year or late last year that I was on post. I know what you're talking about...I was part of some of that construction. I worked on the Community Center (the one with the Star Bucks Coffee Shop on the one end of it) as well as a couple of the new neighborhoods they are presently building or have already built. I can honestly say when the government builds something they build it right. Of course too...code requires them to. In one instance they saved some old living facilities...what was once housing for a family of four they turned into housing for a family of six to eight. This is no joke...they took what was once a multi-family dwelling unit that could house ten families and turned it into a multi-family dwelling unit that will now house five families. I walked through several of those old housing units...and for as old as they were they were in very good shape. Judging from what I saw...I'm under the assumption that a military family is no longer a family of three or four...but more like five or six because in this multi-family dwelling unit I described, these were units that were being turned into five-bedroom units, two full baths, a powder room (toilet/sink), family room, etc...[/QUOTE]

You'll never hear me disagree with providing great accommodations for Army families. Given what they have to endure they deserve no less. I also support the way the govt does build necessary stuff. What gulls me and chaps my check book is the stuff they spend money on that does not directly impact the quality of life of our soldiers and their families.

[QUOTE=HURRICANEBOB;499205]You'll never hear me disagree with providing great accommodations for Army families.[/QUOTE]

Same here...I was just chiming in on your construction post...as for the walking trails...I have seen them used...but not a great deal. Perhaps they're gearing up for something in the future at Fort Knox?