Military parade is a dumb idea

I support much of President Trump’s agenda. I’m grateful for his service and personal sacrifice to the nation. But I must confess that his desire for a military parade is a dumb idea.

He watched a big flashy military a parade in France last July during a Bastille Day celebration in Paris. After he returned home, Mr. Trump recalled that he told French President Emmanuel Macron that he was considering the idea of a similar spectacle in the United States. “I came back and one of my early calls were, ‘I think we are going to have to start looking at that ourselves… We are actually thinking about Fourth of July, Pennsylvania Avenue, having a really great parade to show our military strength.”

“We’re all aware in this country of the president’s affection and respect for the military,” Defense Secretary James Mattis said. “We have been putting together some options, we will send them up to the White House for decision.”

A similar event was last held in Washington in the summer of 1991, after the end of the 41-day gulf war was celebrated with a $12 million dollar victory parade. “The president is looking for opportunities to honor our service members and show appreciation, said Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Dana White.

Do we really need to waste more millions of dollars just to honor our troops and show our vast military strength? Do you think a military parade is a good idea? “No.” said Senator John Kennedy, Republican of Louisiana. “I think confidence is silent and insecurity is loud… America is the most powerful country in all of human history, everybody knows it, and we don’t need to show it off.”

"A military parade is third world bullshit,” said Robert O'Neill, the former Navy SEAL who claims he fired the shot that killed Osama bin Laden “We prepare. We deter. We fight. Stop this conversation." 

Don’t we already have three federal government holidays to celebrate our troops: Independence Day, Memorial Day and Veterans Day? They aren’t suffering from a lack of “honor” are they? Don’t we already spend far too much on the military? Of course we do.

In 2016 we spent a total of $611.2 billion on military expenditures. That’s a whole lot more than the totals spent by the next eight big spending nations: China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, India, France, Britain, Japan and Germany combined. Now I’m all for a strong military but this situation is ridiculous. If we cut our military spending in half we would still have the strongest military on the planet by far. That should be Secretary Mattis’ job, right?

But, oh no -- $611 billion is apparently not nearly enough, is it? Just this week Congress officially passed a new spending deal that hikes defense budgets alone by at least another $160 billion. “The budget deal is a win for the American people,” Democrat senator, Chuck Schumer, said on the Senate floor Wednesday.

Wonderful! Soon the budget deficit every year will total over a $trillion dollars. We’re spending $trillion dollars more than we can afford every year. Government debt is already now approaching $21 trillion and there is no end in sight.

Yes, President Trump, a military parade is a waste of money and a dumb idea.