Sam Raus
Government spending is often framed as a binary argument: Should we cut program funding or increase it? This tug-of-war dominates political debates across the federal, state, and local levels, surfacing in conversations about everything from healthcare subsidies to student loans.
Yet, this oversimplified dialogue misses a crucial question beneath the surface—what exactly are taxpayer dollars being spent on, and how efficiently are those funds being used? The challenge is not merely about how much the government spends, but whether that spending reflects modern priorities, strategic foresight, and fiscal responsibility.
As Congress begins its yearly review of defense appropriations through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, this outdated “spend or cut” mindset deserves a serious overhaul. Defense spending is often treated as untouchable—an automatic area of increase justified by national security anxieties and global instability. But with the government spending over $1 trillion annually for defense, this legislation deserves stricter scrutiny.
Lawmakers like Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) argue that heightened threats from China, Russia, and Iran require surging budgets across the board. Yet even if America must strengthen its readiness, spending more should not exempt policymakers from scrutinizing where inefficiencies lie.
Saving and spending are not contradictory goals—they are complementary parts of good governance. Investing in advanced technologies, cyber defense systems, and next-generation weapons platforms should be accompanied by a willingness to phase out programs that no longer serve strategic needs.
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