$500,000,000 / year for Military Bands... more important than feeding children.

[Scuba]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/06/AR2010090603018.html?sid=ST2010090603042

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. I have a good friend whose daughter is in the Marine band

It's been a great experience for her so far.

But yes, I think feeding children is a tad bit more important.

[Sherman A1]

2. Agreed

[bobbolink]

13. The point is, we should be able to have BOTH!

This is what they want us to do.. bicker among ourselves on the penny ante stuff, while they run off with the BIG bucks.

[Hannah Bell]

15. +100

[Telly Savalas]

21. Are members of military bands screened to make sure they don't have kids?

Back during the debates over the stimulus package there was a sizable number of people here who argued that Washington should spend a large chunk of change to get folks doing anything to have jobs. But now that there's news that the DoD is doing this by spending about $40K a head annually for people to make music, it's an act of Satan and against all that is good and righteous?

Obviously I'd rather have our tax dollars spent on things that provide more permanent benefits, i.e. WPA type projects instead of the advancement of Sousa's vision, but this fraction of a percentage point of federal spending has more in common with a New Deal style job creation program than it does the child-hating Darth Vader military industrial complex monstrosity that it's portrayed as in this thread. But if y'all want to parade around carrying "Food not Tubas" signs, by all means knock yourselves out.

[BOG PERSON]

3. .

[JVS]

4. How else are we going to keep our tromboners employed and off the streets?

[-..__...]

5. Why not eliminate school music programs as well?

Might as well add grade school/high school marching bands while we're at it.

Think how many children could be fed from the cost savings from eliminating that?

Part of the irony is... I'm willing to bet many of those military band members were first introduced to musical instruments/marching bands from their home town school.

[Scuba]

6. I'll bet band is cut before football. Debate too. n/t

[-..__...]

11. I have no doubt about that.

School districts have to decide where and what to cut from their budgets all the time.

[NeedleCast]

12. Football Programs at most high schools bring in money

Band doesn't.

I say this as a person who played in the marching band.

[Nevernose]

22. Depends on several factors

Area of the country, SES of the student population, race and/or ethnicity of the neighborhood.

I live and teach in Las Vegas, and while some schools make money off of football, more lose money than make money.

The last school I worked at, for instance, made far more money leasing out the football field on weekends for private soccer leagues than it ever did with Friday night games. The field across the street from me is sparsely populated on Friday night as well.

[msongs]

7. um school bands are learning to play music, not marching to war nt

[-..__...]

9. Fine...

would you rather military band players trade in their drums, trumpets and tubas for M16's?

Granted... when the shit really hits the fan, all band members are soldiers first, and musicians last, but that kind of situation probably hasn't happened since WW-II or Korea.

But... if it were your son or daughter, where would rather have them be?

On the parade field or battle ground?

[jacquelope]

16. Can't learn to play music if you can't afford to eat n/t

.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. But..but..military bands are vital to our national security and inspiring the cannon fodder.

Especially when the cannon-fodder has hangovers after payday and are participating in the mandatory parades for the brass.

[Scuba]

14. Well said. Thanks. n/t

[kelly1mm]

10. How many days/weeks of the US costs for the no fly zone for Libya

would make up this shortfall?

[Paradoxical]

17. Which is .072% of the annual defense budget. Why don't we worry about important shit, mkay?

We spend $685,000,000,000 a year on defense.

That gigantic $500,000,000 is a fraction of a fraction of that budget. It's fucking nothing.

If you want to waste your time complaining about military bands, be my guest. I'll spend my time worrying about things like the $11,500,000,000 spent on F35 fighter jets that we will probably never use. Or the $5,400,000,000 we are spending on submarines that will likely never be needed. Or the $1,800,000,000 we are spending on building a fucking stealth combat ship that will likely never be needed.

[Lucinda]

19. ...

[Scuba]

24. I only learned this two days ago...

...and I've already found it useful in helping people understand the scope of the problem.

It's difficult to get your arms around $685,000,0000,000, but $500,000,000 is a good chunk of my state's debt.

I'm not advocating we start a movement to eliminate the band. I'm trying to provide another arrow in the information quiver that liberals use every day in their dialogue with others.

[Obamanaut]

18. $10 million can be saved by getting rid of the professional musicians

that play at the WH for the President. But that would put more professional musicians on the unemployed roster.


From the link in the OP

“…including $10 million to support the 130 elite musicians in the Washington-based Marine Band, known as "The President's Own," whose prime mission is to provide music for the White House…”


“…Col. Michael J. Colburn, director of the Marine Band, said his organization is unique in that it was organized to play for the White House. One result is that the professional musicians who become members of "The President's Own" do not go through Marine basic training, nor do they draw guard duty or other activities that members of other Marine Bands do…”

Neat - the Marines in the WH Marine Band aren't Marines after all.

One might also consider no longer funding the National Endowment for the Arts. If a person wants to make something like ants on a crucifix, let him support himself while doing it.

[Lucinda]

20. Thanks for the link!

:hi:

[bhikkhu]

23. I'd rather pick on the aircraft carriers than musicians

and submarines, and long range bombers, and so forth. I hate to say, but picking on the music programs and leaving the really big items untouched is more like the kind of "sideshow" I'd expect from the other side.