"So your idea to help the PRIVATE SECTOR economy is to force thousands of service members out of their government-funded jobs and into the private sector? How many of those will simply roll-over onto the welfare/unemployment roles, still costing tax payers but WITHOUT providing the services they were trained for -- and trained at great expense to the tax payer."
You bet, any day of the week. I will always unapologetically put the interests of the nation's citizenry before its soldiers.
"For every veteran who enters the job market in a down economy, there are civilians applying for the same job. Veterans often are given preference over non-vets. Is that what you want to see: your neighbor on food stamps and Medicare, possibly having to sell his home, while the ex-Marine gets the job your neighbor wanted?"
Yes, veterans may have preferences for government jobs, but I doubt that will and should not hold true in the private sector during a recession or depression.
"The funds spent for a well-trained and well-equipped military also makes its way into the economy. Service members, support staff, civilian companies and all their family members spend that income, which then benefits the economy as a whole."
This maybe true as long as they are NOT SPENDING their money on businesses operating on military bases.
"You have a very simplistic understanding of how finances and the economy work. If you think the government saving money somehow equates to a benefit for the private economy, there's not much hope for you."
So you believe.
Borrowing money is never in the interest of the tax payers. Anytime a government can save money, that allows for a surplus that can greatly benefit society, especially during a pandemic crises like what the World is going through now.
"Politicians saw a huge "peace dividend" when we won the Cold War and the military had a massive RIF. All that "savings" was spent on other programs -- and our taxes went UP. Additionally, we entered a recession at that time, because it takes time for a society to retool and retrain a drawn-down military. In the meantime, it hurts everyone short turn. More labor in the market suppresses salaries. Supply and demand."
What's your point? The founding fathers were against war and standing armies. A nation should spend its time making money, not war or garrisoning the planet.
"Stack THAT draw-down recession ON TOP of the economic disaster we're facing now, and I think you;ll agree that now is NOT the time."
I humbly disagree.
The whole World is already facing a global recession that can potentially lead to a global depression by the end of this calendar year. Should that happen, every nation will need every dollar to ensure the RULE OF LAW and continuity of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness of its people within its borders.
The nations of the World will not have the time to act tough and make dirty faces at each other.