Morning Bell: Get to Work Protecting America

Conn Carroll / November 09, 2010

“I believe that the primary Constitutional function of the federal government is national defense, bar none,” reads the very first sentence of Sen.-elect Rand Paul’s (R-KY) issue page on national defense. Sen.-elect Paul is right. It is right there in the Preamble to the United States Constitution: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Unfortunately our federal government has been falling short on this primary duty. Now many on the left want to go even further, gutting defense to pay for their own social priorities. But defense spending is not the cause of America’s budget deficits. Mandatory spending on entitlements and interest on the debt currently accounts for over 50% of the federal budget, while defense spending accounts for less than one-fifth.

Contrary to what you may hear, defense spending is actually at near historic lows. During World War II we spent 38% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense; during the Korean War it was 14%; Vietnam 10%, and the Cold War 7%. Yet since 2001, defense spending has averaged roughly 4% of GDP. The toll on our armed forces is easy to see. Air Force tactical aircraft are, on average, over 20 years old; bombers nearly 30; and tankers about 45 years old. And the Obama administration only wants to shrink defense budgets further. White House budget plans indicate defense budgets will fall to just 3% of GDP in 2019. To better Protect America and its interests abroad, and support those in uniform, Congress must: (more…)