Two sides of the coin...

I keep hearing deficit, dire financial times, we have to tighten our belts to weather this recession.  And then the gov’t that has been crying wolf for the last couple of years and continues to warn us that it will have to cut, cut, cut is now throwing around money, 35 billion for new fighter jets, 35 billion for new frigates and now billions more for nuclear submarines.  Are we in hard financial times or aren’t we?  Are we fighting the deficit or are we flush?  If the goal is changing the direction of policy-making then at least be honest about it.  If, as an administration, you care more about the military than social welfare or culture then say so.  Don’t pretend that you’re so constrained fiscally that you have to gut programs to balance the budget and then turn around and blow billions on stuff that you do care about.  One could just as easily argue the necessity of social programs as you do about the requirement for defence.  I could at least have some respect for you if you were as up-front about what you dismiss, social welfare and culture, as you are about your aims, a stronger military, a corporation-friendly economy and a harsher justice system.  You just can’t claim to be all things, all the time because it makes you dishonest half the time and I’m starting to wonder which half of the time it is.  We’re not so stupid as to not realize that the guy crying poverty while driving a brand-new Porsche might be lying about one thing or the other.