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appalachiablue

(41,056 posts)
Tue Jul 28, 2020, 09:46 PM Jul 2020

GOP Tucks $8 Billion For Military Weaponry In Virus Bill

Source: AP News

By Andrew Taylor, 1 hr ago.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new $1 trillion COVID-19 response package by Senate Republicans is supposed to give the government more weapons to battle the surging coronavirus pandemic. But GOP lawmakers have more than just the “invisible enemy” in mind.

The Republican measure includes billions for F-35 fighters, Apache helicopters and infantry carriers sought by Washington’s powerful defense lobby. Overall, the proposal stuffs $8 billion into Pentagon weapons systems built by defense contractors like Boeing, Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics — corporate titans that sit atop the Washington influence industry.

The bill, drafted by Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Richard Shelby, R-Ala., would deposit $2.2 billion in Pentagon shipbuilding accounts, boost missile defense systems in California and Alaska and deliver about $1.4 billion for C-130 transport planes and F-35 fighters manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corp. Some of the F-35s could be delivered to an Air National Guard unit in Montgomery, Alabama.

In several cases, Shelby proposes restoring cuts imposed by the administration that diverted almost $4 billion to help pay for construction of President Donald Trump’s border wall. The Pentagon won significant defense increases last year with passage of a budget agreement that erased automatic spending cuts known as sequestration...

Read more: https://apnews.com/f14ef99ec7939f44860e6026624be38f

26 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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GOP Tucks $8 Billion For Military Weaponry In Virus Bill (Original Post) appalachiablue Jul 2020 OP
WTF does giving billions more to the MIC have to do with a stimulus package for Americans?!? BlueCaliDem Jul 2020 #1
In the event that... Newest Reality Jul 2020 #3
Truly, Republicans don't give a damn about hurting Americans. BlueCaliDem Aug 2020 #26
whose vote is the F-35 provision there for nt msongs Jul 2020 #2
My gawd how much have they sunk into that flying lemon now? LiberalLovinLug Jul 2020 #15
Infantry carriers underpants Jul 2020 #4
It might also be those JLTVs or whatever they are called. Sapient Donkey Jul 2020 #7
Yeah and you-know-who might have been "getting over" with an extra $400 a week underpants Jul 2020 #8
THROW THAT SHIT OUT! DOESN"T BELONG IN THE BILL! mpcamb Jul 2020 #19
Yes that billion I_UndergroundPanther Jul 2020 #22
This escalation of greed and cruelty by republicans is beyond comprehension. diva77 Jul 2020 #5
The republicans I_UndergroundPanther Jul 2020 #23
I would worry that this administration will use even more of our money rainin Jul 2020 #6
... restoring cuts imposed by the admin that diverted almost $4 billion to pay for border wall progree Jul 2020 #9
Exactly BumRushDaShow Jul 2020 #10
Yup. Are you all excited about tomorrow morning? progree Jul 2020 #16
There's a Mars launch at that time tomorrow too! BumRushDaShow Jul 2020 #17
Q2 GDP is expected to be down 35% on an annualized basis progree Jul 2020 #18
I'm afraid to even try to estimate it based on predictions at this point BumRushDaShow Jul 2020 #20
That makes it easier to estimate, since they'll give a range of numbers (a wider target) rather progree Jul 2020 #21
True! BumRushDaShow Jul 2020 #25
Give the Pentagon BILLIONS more for toys and then say $600 per week....... Bengus81 Jul 2020 #11
I heard comments on the news.... louzke9 Jul 2020 #12
Righto, this topic is mentioned above in posts # 9-11. appalachiablue Jul 2020 #13
Defense spending is a government subsidy - we don't need 90% of defense spending greenjar_01 Jul 2020 #14
I figure it would cost $1 billion to send everyone 10 disposable masks and a sheet of instructions ucrdem Jul 2020 #24

Newest Reality

(12,712 posts)
3. In the event that...
Tue Jul 28, 2020, 09:53 PM
Jul 2020

In the event that COVID-19 somehow manages evolve and arm itself we have to be ready to protect key installations.

BlueCaliDem

(15,438 posts)
26. Truly, Republicans don't give a damn about hurting Americans.
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 11:22 PM
Aug 2020

All they care about is getting their kickbacks from the MIC and fattening their offshore accounts.

LiberalLovinLug

(14,154 posts)
15. My gawd how much have they sunk into that flying lemon now?
Wed Jul 29, 2020, 01:47 PM
Jul 2020

They will have to sell a lot of them to make up what they've spent developing and building and correcting etc....

Wanting to create a jet that does everything it becomes a jack of all trades and master of none. Too heavy for a fighter jet, but too light to carry as much firepower as one designed for that alone. Ripe with software fixes to patch up all the problems that happen when you try and force a jet to do way too many things in a small package.

https://www.pogo.org/investigation/2020/03/f-35-design-flaws-mounting-new-document-shows/

A new document obtained by the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) shows that the F-35 program office has made little progress in fixing the fighter jet’s hundreds of design flaws, and continues to discover more of them. The Joint Strike Fighter Program Office’s Deficiency Report Metrics document, dated February 28, 2020, shows the program is currently dealing with 883 unresolved design flaws—and has no plan for correcting over 160 of them.

Sapient Donkey

(1,568 posts)
7. It might also be those JLTVs or whatever they are called.
Tue Jul 28, 2020, 10:16 PM
Jul 2020

Basically a replacement for frontline troops in humvees.

Either way, I can't for the life of me understand why such spending would be in a covid19 relief bill.

diva77

(7,606 posts)
5. This escalation of greed and cruelty by republicans is beyond comprehension.
Tue Jul 28, 2020, 09:54 PM
Jul 2020

I hope there are psychologists out there studying republican group-think and figuring out ways to put an end to it.

K&R for exposure

I_UndergroundPanther

(12,452 posts)
23. The republicans
Wed Jul 29, 2020, 07:43 PM
Jul 2020

Are all narcissists authoritarians or sociopaths using our money to fatten their piggy rich ugly bully freinds who are just like they are .

rainin

(3,010 posts)
6. I would worry that this administration will use even more of our money
Tue Jul 28, 2020, 10:12 PM
Jul 2020

to declare war on us from now until November and beyond. More $ for weapons is especially worrisome

progree

(10,864 posts)
9. ... restoring cuts imposed by the admin that diverted almost $4 billion to pay for border wall
Tue Jul 28, 2020, 11:30 PM
Jul 2020
In several cases, Shelby proposes restoring cuts imposed by the administration that diverted almost $4 billion to help pay for construction of President Donald Trump’s border wall. The Pentagon won significant defense increases last year with passage of a budget agreement that erased automatic spending cuts known as sequestration...


Repeated for emphasis.

BumRushDaShow

(127,322 posts)
10. Exactly
Wed Jul 29, 2020, 07:47 AM
Jul 2020

Back-filling the money that was pulled from DOD for a wall. So in essence, taxpayers having literally "paid for a wall".

progree

(10,864 posts)
16. Yup. Are you all excited about tomorrow morning?
Wed Jul 29, 2020, 05:29 PM
Jul 2020

Last edited Thu Jul 30, 2020, 06:16 AM - Edit history (1)

1st estimate of Q2 GDP. Plus the usual Thursday unemployment insurance claims report.... both at 830 AM ET, 730 AM CT <-edited.

BumRushDaShow

(127,322 posts)
17. There's a Mars launch at that time tomorrow too!
Wed Jul 29, 2020, 05:32 PM
Jul 2020


(GDP might be interesting to see if there is any contraction)

progree

(10,864 posts)
18. Q2 GDP is expected to be down 35% on an annualized basis
Wed Jul 29, 2020, 05:53 PM
Jul 2020

per MarketWatch's economists (median forecast). I'm not predicting the stock market is going to plunge unless it's way worse than expected, which I don't think it will be. Just that it will be an interesting report. It will be here: http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/national/gdp/gdpnewsrelease.htm

https://www.marketwatch.com/economy-politics/calendar

The median forecasts that MarketWatch publishes each week in the economic calendar come from the forecasts of the 15 economists who have scored the highest in our contest over the past 12 months, as well as the forecasts of the most recent winner of the Forecaster of the Month contest.

BumRushDaShow

(127,322 posts)
20. I'm afraid to even try to estimate it based on predictions at this point
Wed Jul 29, 2020, 06:30 PM
Jul 2020

since it seems they like to do quirky things like doing "coronavirus" corrections and whatnot.

progree

(10,864 posts)
21. That makes it easier to estimate, since they'll give a range of numbers (a wider target) rather
Wed Jul 29, 2020, 07:34 PM
Jul 2020

than a single number, which is virtually impossible to hit exactly

Bengus81

(6,907 posts)
11. Give the Pentagon BILLIONS more for toys and then say $600 per week.......
Wed Jul 29, 2020, 07:53 AM
Jul 2020

for out of work people struggling is more than they should ever be getting.

louzke9

(296 posts)
12. I heard comments on the news....
Wed Jul 29, 2020, 11:27 AM
Jul 2020

that some of the money in this bill comes from Trump's wall fund. Supposedly its the money Trump confiscated (STOLE) from the Pentagon to build his wall.

ucrdem

(15,512 posts)
24. I figure it would cost $1 billion to send everyone 10 disposable masks and a sheet of instructions
Wed Jul 29, 2020, 07:50 PM
Jul 2020

on how to use them (300 million x $3.33 per pack). Where's the money for that?

p.s. props to Bernie for at least suggesting it: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213826738

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