“Never let the truth stand in the way of a good story …” — Mark Twain.
So it is with Republicans seeking their party’s nomination for president, particularly when it comes to defense of the country.
They rail that President Obama has gutted the military. Mario Rubio claims Obama is more interested in providing money to Planned Parenthood than for the nation’s armed forces.
Fact is, the U.S. military remains the most powerful in the world, in any stage of fighting including even a brawl that might erupt in a back alley, and whatever reverses it might have suffered have been at behest of politics — from both major parties.
The Associated Press dug into comments made by Rubio, Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush (who should know better) and others, and came away with facts refuting those of the Republican contingent.
To begin with, the nation spends infinitely more on the armed forces than on Planned Parenthood, the bulk of whose services go to family planning and health screenings to guard against breast and cervical cancer.
A good point to start in the AP’s analysis: Bush claims weapons systems are being left to languish. The facts: Total spending for the modernization of major weapons systems has remained stable since Bush’s brother, George W., left the White House seven years ago. In November 2008 expenditures were $1.64 trillion. In March 2015 the number is $1.62 trillion.
Also, it should be noted: “While the defense budget has dropped in recent years, the cuts were approved by Republicans as well as Democrats in Congress, then signed into law by Obama,” the AP found.
Without being specific, Trump claims the military is a disaster.
The disaster may be that cost overruns have diverted funding from a more eclectic treatment of needs registered by the Pentagon. Also, too often Congress has ignored recommendations for closure of bases and cutbacks military experts have judged necessary, by House and Senate members who want to keep a lucrative military presence for their districts, as well as contracts for companies at home.
CANDIDATES on the stump stretch the truth, or just plain ignore it, in their fervor to curry favor with voters.
It’s important that voters not take at face value all that is said, by those of either major political persuasion.
— Bob Johnson