Another step in a bigger plan if enacted: Privatize Commissaries
Quite a long post, but one that is necessary and detailed to discuss a very tough subject: Privatization and now DOD more and more.
Extracted
Via my email notices
Stars and Stripes | May 15,
2015 | by Travis J. Tritten
WASHINGTON -- At least
five military commissaries would be privatized under a two-year pilot program
proposed and unveiled in a Senate version of the 2016 defense budget.
The bill calls for DOD to
temporarily privatize those five commissaries while federal auditors study the
potential effects of private ownership on the entire network of commissaries.
My note: why? Oh simple
really and typical of asinine government action:
Congress is eyeing
benefits such as military commissaries, pay and
allowances, and retirement for ways to reduce military personnel costs – a move that
has riled troops and military service groups. I also note and in time of war,
too while the VA is still struggling to help Vets – yippee – nice job Congress.
Keep that hornet’s nest all stirred up as much as possible while professing that
you help those who serve in uniform and protect and defend America … way to go,
really. Oh, did I say, shitty job, too???
More: The bill’s
language had not been released but the Senate Armed Services Committee said it
has proposed a raft of other reforms including an overhaul of the retirement
system and deep cuts to headquarters and administrative staffing. The staff of
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who heads that committee confirmed the commissary plan
part on Friday (May 15th).
Background: DOD spends
about $1.4 billion annually supporting some 243 commissaries at bases
all across the United
States and around the world. Those commissaries provide a significant savings
for military shoppers and remain a popular benefit.
Several groups of VFW came
out strongly against the Senate proposal, which follows a year of debate over
cuts to the stores, saying, in part: “The VFW is against privatizing military
commissaries and we are against the pilot program to test it” said John Stroud,
the VFW national commander, who further added: “We want this language stripped
from the Senate's version of the defense bill.”
Turning the commissaries
over to private companies could endanger the benefit, according to the group,
adding that troops can sometimes find shopping deals off base but not an
overall savings of up to 30 percent that the commissaries now offer.
The Senate budget
proposal will now head to the chamber floor. If the pilot project survives that
vote, it will likely face a congressional conference committee later this year
that would negotiate a final budget bill from both the House and Senate
proposals.
Thus far, the House has opted to protect commissaries from the budget knife. But, we shall see.
Thus far, the House has opted to protect commissaries from the budget knife. But, we shall see.
So, the Koch’s want to
privatize the VA (see this story) and now perhaps Wal-Mart wants the commissary
franchise? What would be next: Dockers taking over the clothing, open bids for
boots and dress shoes, and the NRA running the arms and ammo portions? Velkom
to Amerika – freedom for a price and that price does not it seems with these
moves factoring in the blood of those who serve and enjoy the few remaining
benefits they were promised and basically have enjoyed while serving the entire
nation and not free enterprise (My insert: Free enterprise definition. “The freedom of private businesses to operate
competitively for profit with minimal governmental regulation.)
Private businesses are in business to make a profit -- so, is our military blood worth a profit or an increase in CEO salary, or a dividend increase?
Yes, arms and equipment and other certain aspects of DOD are handled by private industry and most are under government contract for a specific product or service, but what we are talking about here is massive change in the way soldiers live, work, and serve and enjoy the benefits they have earned and are entitled to without change due to budget concerns or personnel costs. Smart budgets are ideal, sure; but at the expense of national security, not for sure.
Private businesses are in business to make a profit -- so, is our military blood worth a profit or an increase in CEO salary, or a dividend increase?
Yes, arms and equipment and other certain aspects of DOD are handled by private industry and most are under government contract for a specific product or service, but what we are talking about here is massive change in the way soldiers live, work, and serve and enjoy the benefits they have earned and are entitled to without change due to budget concerns or personnel costs. Smart budgets are ideal, sure; but at the expense of national security, not for sure.
With all this in mind, logically it seems that the
next Congressional “brainchild idea to save money and reduce personnel costs”
would be to turn over the military to the private sector and let the market
prevail and dictate. Wal-Mart could pick the next military engagement; the Koch’s
could plan the next field exercise; Donald Trump would plan design the next
base facilities; and a handful of other billionaires would occupy the Pentagon
and run whole shebang! Nice job, Congress, really nice job.
I leave you with a favorite military expression: “Freedom
is not free” (sometimes scribbled on the helmets of combat troops). Privatizing
DOD in any part for any reason is flat out insane. Some day we might have a war
and no one shows up. What if????
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