Social Policy Out, Defense Priorities In at Armed Services Committee

Conn Carroll /

Pentagon (Photo by Newscom)

For the most part the progressive movement is unhappy with the proposal from President Barack Obama’s fiscal commission report. But one area that they will embrace is the report’s call for $100 billion in defense cuts. Fortunately, the American people have a strong ally in presumptive-House Armed Services Chairman Buck McKeon (R-CA). McKeon released a statement last week promising:

America remains a nation at war. More than 150,000 of our sons and daughters are deployed around the globe in the fight against Al Qaeda and its terrorist allies. The top priority of the Armed Services Committee will be to provide those brave fighters the resources and support they need to succeed in their missions and return home safely.

McKeon also promised that the fiscal 2011 defense authorization bill would “not weighed down by the current majority’s social agenda items.” (more…)