Just read an AP article at Yahoo News. The current debt reduction plan has no SS or Medicare cuts(don't quote me).
If I ran (not Iran) the military,I would bring them home and instead of spending money on defense(how much money does Canada and Mexico spend yearly on defense???), I would have the military rebuild all the bridges and roads and they would still be available if they(the USA) wanted to start another war. Don't understand defense spending because last time I looked,the USA hasn't been attacked since 1941. If someone messes with us,just push some missle buttons.

Okay, I am trying to hold back here. Look, SS is MANDATORY spending not DISCRETIONARY. IF and I say IF checks were stopped it would be by one person and one person only and yes that would be theft not to mention a monolithic task. Other than that, I DO believe the checks will go out and am not worried one iota. SS is running a surplus. That does not mean it can't or won't become insolvent down the road. This is why "reforms" are needed to keep SS/Medicare solvent for future generations. And why I know how I will vote in 2012!

Agree with wasting money on extraordinary and unnecessary defense and foreign aid, but, the last time I remember the USA being attacked was 9/11/2001...

BabyBoomer, to understand Defense spending one must have worked it. I did...for 32+ years. I would have to say that the biggest expense is on contractors or rather contracting out. To attempt to say cut this that or the other is wrong. That's not to say there isn't overlap or duplication of effort or potential for fraud, waste and abuse. Do you happen to remember BRAC? DOD saved millions!! I was part of several teams that closed and realigned many sites. I am just a firm believer in National Security first and foremost. For without it all else is moot. I would also like our troops to come home but not at the expense of our own shores as in 9/11 and I support what they are doing 100%. Also, it is NOT and I repeat NOT the military's job to build roads and bridges. That is what our Engineers are for i.e., Army Corps of Engineers. And the reason current debt reduction plan has no SS/Medicare "cuts" is because it as I said, MANDATORY spending.

I felt so bad for the soldiers today. CNN announced that they had asked their commanding officer "Are we going to get paid in August".

Can you believe, we have guys and gals who volunteered and are defending this country and they are afraid of not getting paid??

BOGGLES THE MIND!!!

Why doesn't Canada,Mexico,Great Britain,France etc have 900 Military bases located all over the world? They're not afraid of being attacked or do they know in the back of their minds that big brother(USA) will look after them should there be problems.

Thoughts on the pres's announcement tonight????

It was so fast it made my head spin.

Then the reporter said "Well, this has to pass in Congress, and this just might not pass".

Well, Tuesday is the deadline.

What the heck are they waiting for?

Good Lord

There is no deal until it passes the House and Senate. That process is slower than a Yankee-Red Sox baseball game. Why are they taking there sweet time,incase the deal has too be tweaked?

Not long now guys...not long now...it just seeeeeems like a long time to wait.
Good luck to all of us!