Barney Frank Proposes Steep Military Cuts

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) told progressive activists gathered in Washington Tuesday morning that the only path to a long-term deficit reduction plan is via substantial defense cuts.

“There is no way at all to do a socially responsible deficit reduction plan…without very significant reductions in military spending,” Frank animatedly told participants of the Take Back the American Dream conference.

The current U.S. military budget is $670.9 billion, which is more than any other military in the world. Frank suggested reductions between $225-250 billion per year.

“We overspend because we are overcommitted,” Frank said.

“I am all for America being the strongest nation in the world, but the substantial problem is that we have acted now for 60 years as if we had to be not only the protectors of the world but the guarantor of stability in the world,” Frank added.

Frank argued that the U.S is not only protecting its own country but also heavily subsidizing the defense of the wealthy nations of Europe. According to Frank, the U.S. is spending more now proportionately than during the Cold War.

Frank justified that military spending reductions will lead to more money that can be invested in jobs production.

“They are talking about $1.25 trillion in deficit and we can do twice that in military alone and be a stronger and better and happier nation because of it,” he said.

Opponents of defense cuts, however, say doing so would substantially increase unemployment and further plunge the U.S into economic instability.  

The three-day conference, which concludes tomorrow, is giving progressive activists a chance to share strategies to advance their economic agenda.

Report: America Now A Center-Left Country

By Michael Combier-Talk Radio News Service

Overall, Americans politically lean center-left, and a new generation of young people, 45 million 18 to 29 year old who are eligible to vote, desire more governmental presence in their daily life, according to a recently released report by Campaign for America’s Future and Media Matters for America. Entilted “America: A Center-Left Nation”, the report tracks the political ideology of large swaths of Americans since the election of President Barack Obama last November.

“The notion that this is a center-right country continues to be a staple of the media,” said Robert Borosage, co-Director of Campaign for America’s Future, at a press conference in Washington D.C. on Wednesday.

This notion from the mainstream media “cuts through the way issues are reporting on a regular basis, on a daily basis, whether you are talking about health care, whether you are talking about the economy, or any of the major social issues,” said Eric Burns, President of Media Matters for America and co-author of the report. He added that “the orientation of the media’s reporting, the framing of the issues are always ten degrees to the right of really from where the American people stand.”

“The media has the responsibility to understand where the American people are in terms of their views on these issues so that they can more accurately report what the real tensions points are... The vast majority of Americans support some sort of nationalized health care plan but that is not reflected in the reporting,” Burns said.

More progressive ideas and a stronger presence of the federal government are sought by a new generation of young Americans who are more racially diverse, progressive and politically active.

Heather Smith is the Executive Director of Rock the Vote, which registered 2.6 million people to vote last year. This generation “not only made a great entrance on election day in 2008 but will continue to play a major role in shaping politics and the direction of our country,” Smith said. This generation has grown up “with a fallen economy, outrageous college debt, two wars, hurricanes, the September 11 attacks” and they “understand the real need for a government and are more likely to save our government’s investment” in health care or education, she said.

Campaign for America's Future calls for massive economic recovery package

The Campaign for America's Future hosted a conference call to discuss an economic recovery package to help America get out of its recession.

"It will take at least two years of expanded spending to get this economy going," said Robert Borosage, Co-Director for the Campaign for America's Future. "We can't go back to the high-consumption, stagnant income, high-debt model of the past."

The plan called for $900 billion to go towards to expanding public investment. Borosage also called for better health care policies, an increase in regulation of the financial sector, and more investments in a greener infrastructure.

Infrastructure improvement may save economy

Investing heavily in the nation's infrastructure may be the key to revitalizing the American economy. That was the theme put forward by the speakers during a conference by the organization Campaign for America's Future.

Representative Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), who penned the National Infrastructure Bank Bill, described infrastructure investment as an important part of any stimulus plan since it would create jobs for those immediately involved in the construction as well as in related trades and industries.

"The infrastructure investment would also have a larger and much longer term impact. A strong and efficient transportation system, especially including sustainable transit solution, creates a healthy environment for business investment which in turn creates more regional jobs long after the roads have been paved and the bridges built."

Ellison went on to describe how improving the infrastructure should not just be based around roads and bridges, but should also include providing broadband internet access to rural communities along with other investments in technology.

Eric Lotke, Campaign for America's Future director, elaborated how investments made infrastructure would yield economic benefits.

"Every billion dollars invested in public transportation creates... 20,000 new jobs," said Lotke. "Every dollar in public transport gets you something like 6 dollars in economic returns. This is growth. This is recovery. This is what we need to get the economy going. We need a short term stimulus."

According to Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), rebuilding infrastructure may serve as a way to improve the environment.

"Today we must build green infrastructure that makes us more energy efficient and reduces our reliance of foreign oil. That means constructing smart power grids, constructing buildings that consume less energy, making alternative fuels more accessible, diversifying our energy sources, and making public transportation systems more efficient," said DeLauro.

Economic Institute research and policy director John Irons countered the conventional wisdom that the recent economic crisis has made improvements financially impossible, arguing that the current deficit is not historically unique and that it may be especially wise to invest now.

"Deficits are okay in a recession...this is precisely the time we don't want to worry about deficits, this is the time we need a rescue package, we need infrastructure investments, and we need other investments to ensure our economy gets back on track," said Irons.

America is ready for progressive reform

The Campaign for America's Future held a conference call about the results from election day and what they mean for the future of the American government. Robert Borosage is the co-director of the Campaign for America's Future. He outlined the "clear message" that was made by voters about the desire for "progressive reform" in the government. Borosage spoke about the claim being made that America is a "center-right nation", which he believes people stick to because it is a "familiar old" idea. A new center is emerging, he said, and President-Elect Obama must respond to the "reality of the mandate he's been given", which means he must be a bold and transformative president.