Supercarrier named after George H.W. Bush commissioned

Do you think the New Deal got us out of the Great Depression? No. It did not. WWII got us out of the Great Depression. What was WWII except defense spending?

 

Let's not look at it from an economic study standpoint. There's nothing economically efficient about the military, even though it's an absolutely necessary evil.

Again...tired of government waste? There literally are a million other places you could start. Leave the military alone. It's such a completely different world that it's tough for everyone to understand it.

 

When these type of discussions come up I always go back and reread Dwight Eisenhower farewell address where he addresses the "military industrial complex" .

His words are as insightful and topical today as they were in 1961 when first spoken:

A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction...

This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence — economic, political, even spiritual — is felt in every city, every statehouse, every office of the federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society. In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together.

 

Good quote Boom.
So how do you feel? Too many carriers? Not enough? Is the public willing enough to cry out when there's "too many?"

 

Alley I 'm better with numbers on breasts and martini's ( one is not enough / three is too many / two are perfect) than I am with Super Carriers. That said 11 seems like a reasonable number- going back to the first sentence in Eisenhower speech :

"Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction..."

 

It's that last line, Boom and Fen, that make me say 11 is right. I'd rather have one or two too many than be short by one or two.

And believe me, when a call goes out somewhere in the world, there is a bit of comfort and safety in knowing a carrier will be in the zone within a few days.

 

Well put.

Those allies you guys love to talk about have a tendency to ban overflights (France) or keep us from using their bases (Spain, Turkey, etc.). A carrier needs no diplomacy and the thought of a carrier battlegroup with the birdfarm, cruise-missile hauling destroyers and cruisers coming into your area waters with an air force better than most tend to give enemies a "moment of pause." They're worth their weight in gold.

As for the names, I hate naming ships after politicians since I hate all politicians. JFK was bad enough. Why can't we do it like the Brits? Formidable, Ark Royal, Furious, Courageous, Invincible, Indomitable, Indefatigable, Valiant, Victorious, Broadsword, Victory, Somerset, etc. are much better. Instead, we stick cool names like Independence on the crappy littoral "combat" ship and America on a gator freighter, albeit one that does carry aircraft (Harriers).

Fenian, defense spending keeps us safe, thus it is worth the investment. Open sea lanes are vital to national commerce and that's what the Bush is designed to do. We can't do without a military and since we're far away from all potential aggressors, save Venezuela, we need to have a large military. That and with Russia prowling and growling again, China expanding their military at a ridiculous rate and the Iranians trying to get nukes, we need to be the envy of the world in military power.

And besides, defense spending from WWII, not the socialism of FDR, ended the Great Depression.

 

Amen. It costs about $4 large an hour to run a Black Hawk. And we fly about 350 hours a day -- just Hawks -- here at Rucker. That's not even considering the five other types of airframes flown here every day.

Money? Don't even ask.

 

admeeral, we have found the nuclear wessel!

 

They actually didn't film those scenes on the Enterprise. They did it on the Carl Vinson (I thought...could be wrong). Maybe it was the Ranger, when she was still around.

 

I can't believe there's no USS Tim Tebow on the high seas yet ...

 

They're waiting to build it until it can float on an ocean of Pure Tim Tebow tears. Except he doesn't cry.