DEFENSE CUTS – POSSIBLY DANGEROUS ONES – ARE COMING – AT 11:04 P.M. ET:  One of the things that, naturally, is not being emphasized by the mainstream media is the reality of sizable defense cuts that Barack Obama wants make inevitable.

Now, there may well be things that can be cut, and surely the Pentagon can do a better job on procurement.  However, after years of deployments and active post-9/11 operations, the defense budget doesn't have all that much fat.  There are enormous international challenges ahead, and American influence will depend, as always, on America's perceived strength.  Obama is increasingly seen as a weak, leftist president, but America still has a powerful military.  The dream of the left is to weaken that, too.  From The Hill:

Defense insiders on and off Capitol Hill increasingly acknowledge more cuts are ahead for the Pentagon as lawmakers and the administration intensify their efforts to reduce the nation’s deficit.

They say the political battle will focus on the size and nature of spending reductions and that major weapons programs could be spared from the cuts.

President Obama has set a marker of reducing defense spending by $400 billion through 2023.

This promises new cuts to his 2012 budget request, made just a few months ago, of $553 billion for the Pentagon.

While the president demagogues any cuts in social programs, and has no problem with the federal government subsidizing National Public Radio, he is proposing severe cuts to our national defense.  He represents a branch of hjis party that has historically been hostile to defense. 

Our Navy has already been cut severely, and many of our ships are worn out.  We have pilots flying planes that are older than they are. 

I'd like to point out that this president has already shattered many of NASA's dreams. 

As each day goes by, it becomes clear that Obama is what we feared he is – a man who will weaken this country, yet pursue social programs that produce dubious results.  The mainstream media will be indifferent.  Will the American people catch on in time?

April 19, 2011