Military Misspending

We too often hear about military misspending, cost overruns, lobbying for weapons programs and a host of other malfeasances at a horrendous cost to all of us. This isn't strictly a Pentagon/Department of Defense problem, but a problem of who is in charge of military spending. That responsibility belongs to our Congress, but Congress belongs to big business that lobbies our representatives to spend for their products and services. It's the power of the private sector that is the greatest problem in overspending. The weapons manufacturers are all private, profit-making corporations. They have a vested interest in selling weapons, and the best market for selling weapons is in wars. The weapon-makers are warmongers. They're in bed with the military. Why should we allow this? Fortunately, there's a simple solution for military spending: mandate that the military manufacture all weapons of mass destruction at cost. Forbid private manufacture of weapons of mass destruction. Hunting and other personal defense firearms manufacturers would be allowed to operate. If the military needs workers beyond their own personnel to manufacture weapons they can hire civilians at market rates.

The military is a public function that belongs to all of us. It should not be held in thrall to private interests; that is a violation of the public interest and common good.