The fat is in the politically correct academy regulations and policies, not in the machines or the front line deployed carriers.

We’ve cut down to 11 carrier groups, and they’re all carrying one type of aircraft now, trying to do the work of three different types, and, inevitably, doing none of them as well as what they replaced. (This is a Hornet driver talking, not me. It can’t carry the ordnance the A-6 could, and when it is loaded it can’t fight, and it can’t fleet defend as well as the Tomcat could – but it’s certainly cheaper only needing spares for one type!) The Prowlers are now 40 years old, and sure don’t look like being replaced any time soon.

Perfectly good Spruance class DDs are being prematurely retired and piling up in Bremerton to collect rust, and though the “Burkes” are good boats, there will be a lot fewer of them. The backbone of the surface fleet seems to be the “Ticonderoga” CGs – terrific, capable boats, but there are 27 of them.

We’re stopping to refuel in places like Yemen, because there are so few oilers left they can’t take care of the boats, and the av-gas for the carriers, too. One or the other, not both, and the air wing is the obvious priority.

We have lots of pigs out here in Bangor and Bremerton, more than ever before and it looks like a big number – until you realize it’s about half the entire active fleet.

Maybe I’m missing something. And maybe I spend too much time listening to the kids (they’re all kids) at the sharp end – but there sure doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of fat!

I agree with you, though, McCain is obviously a better bet to do something intelligent with national defense than either of the other two.

I applaud him for saying this week that we need to increase the Army and Marine manpower (umm person power). That will draw some fire. I would applaud even if he looked for some fat in other services–even, gasp, the USN.

I don’t know what he means by his promise of consultations. I don’t think there has been any shortage of consultations. Maybe he thinks he can do it better. I suspect that he is just throwing some meat to the “moderates” and looking for a little separation in their minds from the “Cowboy”. Remember when our perception of cowboys was of strong individuals who did what had to be done–even when it was hard?

By the way we received a fund raising request from the McCain campaign today. My wife has been obsessing with visions of doom if Hil or Barry are elected, so I told her we need to put our money where our mouths are. We will probably make a small contribution.

In that mold, McCain is very much like Bush. Same character content one way or another. Same sort of integrity and honesty. Same kind of fumbling retardedness when it comes to Leftist attacks… but then again, that is true for most of the Republican party.

He’s now going to extend the Bush tax cuts. Okay – but he consistently voted against them over a period of years – which do you believe, oh Straight Shooter?

He’s gong to offer “conservative” judges and try and get the judiciary back on track – but Justice Roberts was “too” conservative for him (being somewhat to the right of Thurgood Marshall). Which is it?

He offered a plan in favor of amnesty for illegal aliens – now he sees it’s a problem and thinks the border should be closed, or policed better, or mined, or something – he’s not real clear on it. Which is his actual position?

He’s in favor of free markets, but he and Joe Lieberman put together a bill that will penalize business (and therefore us, we pay for it) billions of dollars if they exceed a government-set limit on carbon emissions – global warming, don’t'cha’know.

This is a list that could go on for pages, but you all know it. I think he is a standard-issue politician who will say anything to any audience – his newly-minted “conservatism” being the outstanding example – to get elected.

And I’ll be damned if I need a lecture, such as Tuesday’s, about how “cynical” all of US are, because wealth comes too easily to Americans. I don’t accept that kind of BS from someone who’s apparently a subscriber to the John Kerry view of marriage. Wealth came easy to him, yeah: Cindy McCain’s worth about $300 million.

I have traditionally had very little use for the Keating Five, and that extends to the last standing member of that elite little group of crooks.

Nevertheless, I’m a very straight shooter, and I’d prefer an in-your-face known quantity of arrogance to the faux humility Obama projects. As it is, one needs a certain amount of arrogance to believe one has the ability to government the most powerful nation in the world at any time, and especially during times of insecurity. This is no job for a shrinking violent. Again, McCain’s straight shooting, even if it isn’t what one always wants to hear, is better than backstabbing and dishonesty.

This is a very imperfect election, and I prefer McCain’s flaws to those of the other candidates.

Yes, I agree with you that the more I hear about McCain the more I like him. A friend of mine, who’s from Arizona and who served in the Air Force, really doesn’t like the man but would be willing to vote for him over Hillary or Obama. He doesn’t like him for the same reasons Oldflyer pointed out.

For myself, however, I find his sense of duty and honor refreshing. In a licentious age, in an age where lying and political expedience has become the norm, it’s a whiff of fresh air to see a Presidential candidate who doesn’t talk out the side of his mouth.

SJR
The Pink Flamingo