Should the government increase or decrease military spending?

increase only if we need it

We don't need to up the military spending while in peacetime. If we go to war and need the extra spending then yes.

The government should drastically reduce military spending considering we have no external threats in order to conserve money to spend on universal education, housing, and healthcare.

We obviously need a well funded spending for our military but I don't think that we need to have so much military spending because it will cause other consequences that might be bad for the nation.

The government shouldn't increase or decrease but support the military by caring for their families and overall beings.

The amounts of money going to each area of "military spending" should be clearing defined and publicly available. Then, funding should be adjusted accordingly.

Having a large budget to ensure a well trained military force is not the issue. Government officials that have track records of an inability to make wise decisions, are fools with finances, are immoral in character, coordination and fund unjust operations and agencies. Etc. Are the more foundational issue.

I think it depends on the current climate around the world in regard to the likely hood of potential war breaking out.

they should decrease it but only by a little so we still have the best military so that we can have a better life

Increase, but only by a bit because we need to spend more on education and other community programs.

Govt should revise wasteful contracts and paying inflated prices for weapons and equipment so that any budget is more efficiently applied

Pull all US Military out of bases in foreign lands. Save a ton of money. Stop being the world's police on our dime.

i personally think that it would be fine if they did increase it but they don't have to if its not needed

Increase in regards to our own military for defense… not sending billions of dollars to other countries.

Neither, but veterans should have more care available to them. They have less opportunity than illegals.

In terms of military service member pay I agree. With the defense budget I could see using it on useful things that can save money but not on useless military projects and or resources.

Neither, but do a substantially better job of tracking where the money is going and how it is being spent. Any government entity should never fail an audit.

I worked as a civilian for DoD. Military spending takes up a majority of the Federal Budget. There is a lot of overlap, wasteful spending and not utilizing human capital.

If we prosper and have a surplus, increase for defense/peace through strength causes. For now pull out of foreign wars and slightly reduce military spending by less than 5%

Unless there is an immediate threat to our national security, we do not need to raise military spending.

Decrease, due to the military using all of the fundings the people of the U.S.A need just to go and try to defend another country in a war we had no part of.

We as a nation should decrease spending from NATO and increase our own military spending from that money

The spending for the military is fine but we need to make sure congress is not fattening the pockets of corporations with useless items the military didn't request.

depends on whether we are in a period of conflict where war and other conflicts are possible or not.

I think that the military should be able to spend whatever they have to, as long as it is to keep us safe

Depends, if we are in a time of peace we can reduce military spending to focus on other things like better medicine or education, but if there are tensions between countries we should increase it to prepare for the worst.

Increase so we can keep our military the strongest in the world and that no other country surpasses it.

The federal government should maintain a strong military but not at the expense of quality of life of it's citizens. There is a balance that should both show a strong stance to the world but also not be so big as to cost more than is needed.

We need to evaluate what speeding is being used for and then divert funds to appropriate departments.

Decrease, but to the amount that all funding is spent, there should be no unused funds

Depending on what is active with our country. It should have a big budget in case of threats but also should not be a bottomless pit. However, it should have the flexibility to be increased if truly needed.

increased, why would we decrease the funding for the people keeping us safe?

Increase, especially in those areas that more effectively provide for the national defense in an ever-changing technological world. All proposed military spending should face the most intense auditing to make sure contractors are not trying to take advantage of the U.S. government.

Fraud waste and abuse must be controlled

Decrease until they develop a balanced budget and stop wasting money

Neither, we should take the money in parts of the funding and put it towards other parts of the military area.

Make minor cutbacks to the military, such as 100-150 Billion. They remain an important asset but spending is too high in some cases.

Increase; but prioritize rules of engagement (specifically to protect & defend the Homeland).

when needed maybe increase military spending but not necessarily increase it just to say we increased it

It depends on what is happening if a problem is happening yes if not no

Yes, used only for combat training, soldier pay, and weapons.

The government should reduce requirements for our forces and reduce funding to match.

We need to spend more on new equipment and higher quality equipment

i honestly wouldnt care either way

Too complicated for a general question

Let the American People vote on military spending, and have them make the decisions instead of the federal government.

Decrease the spending and pull out of NATO

Our troops need to be paid more

Decrease, as our military power is far greater to any other nation to such an extent that decreasing military spending in order to benefit domestic issue would be more beneficial to the nation as a whole

Decrease, and redirect funds to be more efficiently used without cutting out military benefits.

yes, but only for the space force

I think if we need to increase it if we are in a certain situation but if it is not needed we should not do it.

Our current spending level is acceptable, however we should get more for our money by reforming the bidding system that enables waste and fraud and instead manufacture munitions using military employees.

Neither, but funds should be reallocated to increase lower ranking individual's wages

It depends on what they will do with the money, but ultimately I think increase.

They are given certain resources based on their budget and use it all in training so that they don't lose budget, so I think they should implement a spending sin or cos type of curve based on war spending vs training/non-war spending times.

Why would we increase its not like we are going to war every day

Decrease, we do NOT need as big of a military as we do. Reallocate it to social programs.

Do whatever id neccessary

Decrease, just a little bit.

consult economist

Stop funding foreign militaries

Spend it on military fighting capability---not political correctness.

Increase, but with far tighter controls on how money is spent to decrease the amount of waste and focus on upgrading our capabilities.

Keep the spending amount the same but use it strictly for furthering our military.

It depends on what exactly they are spending this money on.

Spend on necessary things