Consider Economic Impact of Defense Cuts, Says Hanabusa

U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa has penned an opinion piece in The Hill about potential cuts to the defense budget. Excerpt:

Whether we believe that the security budget is too large or to small, one thing is for certain: any adjustment we make will affect individuals at every level. …

We see this in my home state of Hawaii, where a recent study showed that defense spending made up about nearly one fifth of our economy, making it second only to our visitor industry as an economic driver. … But not all of that money is spent on salaries to military personnel and federal employees; a sizable portion is invested in critical research and development that generate the tools we need for tomorrow. …

It is clear that our government must work to get our fiscal house in order, but we must do it responsibly while considering the consequences of rash adjustments to defense spending. 

—Chad Blair

Battleship Missouri.