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That classic example is poor. The idea is that congress is forcing the military to buy things that the military doesn't want. We need to question that. The mil
by burfog 7y ago
That classic example is poor. The idea is that congress is forcing the military to buy things that the military doesn't want. We need to question that.
The military follows orders. The president is commander in chief. If the president doesn't want to buy something, then the military doesn't want to buy something.
Given that the date was 2014, saying "the military doesn't want" was exactly equivalent to saying "Obama doesn't want".
Fully retired members of the military, not seeking to gain something like a DoD or cabinet-level position, might be able to speak more freely to congress.
- aggie 7y agoThe military isn't a borg collective, it is full of people trying to get their way, climb the ladder, make money, etc. Those motivations produce behavior counter to what the command structure 'wants'.
- WesternStar 7y agoIf congress appropriates the money the president is required to spend it on the things that congress wants[1]. 1.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impoundment_of_appropriated_funds https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impoundment_of_appropriated_fu...
- burfog 7y agoI mean we need to question "military doesn't want", not that we need to question "forcing the military to buy". We may have a situation where the military really wants the equipment, but isn't permitted to admit it. They follow orders. The orders, coming down from the president, are that the military is to claim that they don't want the equipment. Example: the military really wanted the F-22, then we got a new president, and suddenly the military isn't interested in the F-22 The military is not free to speak.