Allen West By Gage Skidmore

Somewhere along the way, the military became sacrosanct for the Republican Party to the point that even as the military is demanding the end to wasteful programs, Congress refuses to consider cutting their budget. Representative Allen West is getting into the mix on this by accusing President Barack Obama of putting the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell above the need for military contractors to bleed America’s treasury dry.

West, a disgruntled former Army Commander, told his constituents that “I would like to know what commander in chief would decimate the greatest and most superior military force the world has ever known. . .The excuse that he has no choice because the military is apparently bankrupting our budget is absurd and untrue. Mandatory spending is the driver of our debt and represents 62 percent of the budget.”

West is upset at the fact that the Republicans agreed to cutting the military’s budget if an austerity plan was not agreed to by Congress. West claims that Florida may lose some 56,000 jobs if Congress fails to reduce the deficit this year.

The automatic cuts could cost a lot of jobs and cause a deeper recession. Democrats are pushing for tax increases for the wealthiest Americans- usually those earning more than $1 million- and the closing of many loopholes that result in many multi-national corporation not paying any taxes at all.

Republicans want to obliterate spending on social safety net programs that actually drive the economy and keep the nation from seeing total economic collapse.

The United States spends more on the military than any other nation on the planet.