the issue with big numbers

[gwb72tii]

this puts the fed budget in perspective

http://www.wimp.com/budgetcuts/

[Danny]

That's a cool video.

[ck_taft325is]

Good visualization...

...waaaaaaay too much free time.

[E30Kaiser]

The could just cut an F22 in half and save that much money....

[87e30]

Damn. That's cool.

[rwh11385]

The could just cut an F22 in half and save that much money....

Actually, the debate is over the JSF or F35, not the F22.

And I'd like to see development and implementation of it continue instead of "saving money" running current planes indefinitely. Having high-tech, universal aircraft instead of several different models across branches and decades old technology seems like a good idea.


The visualization is good. As is dividing the total spending down per person, or per tax payer. If people had an idea of what the stimulus meant to them personally cost-wise, maybe they would have looked at it more stringently.

[E30Kaiser]

I love the F22 for what it is, the finest aircraft that has ever been made. I was just saying 100 mill is chump change when it comes to running our government. I see the F35 as more bang for the buck though, like the F15 compared to the F16, sure the F15 is better, but it isn't that much better to account for the costs.

[rwh11385]

They do cost a lot, but remember combat aircraft that will be used for a couple decades is not where I'd skimp on $$.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=auO7yWGep0lg

And jet engines / aircraft is one of the last good export industries we have. F35s included:

The following nations have expressed interest and may purchase the F-35:
Australia (Royal Australian Air Force)
Canada (Canadian Armed Forces, Air Command)
Denmark, Kongelige Danske Flyvevåbnet (Royal Danish Air Force)
Israel, Tsvah Haganah le Israel - Heyl Ha'Avir (Israeli Defence Force - Air Force)
Italy, Aeronautica Militare Italiana (Italian Air Force)
Italy, Marina Militare (Italian Navy Aviation)
Netherlands, Koninklijke Luchmacht (Royal Netherlands Air Force)
Norway, Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret (Royal Norwegian Air Force)
Singapore (Republic of Singapore Air Force)
Turkey, Türk Hava Kuvvetleri (Turkish Air Force)

We ought to worry about the government thinking it should do more for people that they ought to be doing for themselves than cutting back on one of the areas that we need government to be strong in (defense, in addition to police, public capital of roads, etc.).

[E30Kaiser]

We ought to worry about the government thinking it should do more for people that they ought to be doing for themselves than cutting back on one of the areas that we need government to be strong in (defense, in addition to police, public capital of roads, etc.).

Agreed, I have no problem with large amounts of defense spending(except when it goes to waste like the Comanche) compared to paying for a lot of the government programs that exist just to exist, and all the pork barreling that goes to local projects that should be the states' concern.