During his last address before Congress, President Obama made a powerful case for investing in what is "absolutely critical to our economic future": green energy, universal health care and educational opportunity. And the President clearly said one way we can find the money:

"Reform our defense budget so that we’re not paying for Cold War-era weapons systems we don’t use."1

cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/24/sotn.obama.transcript/ [cnn.com]

In a single day, one of the most powerful members of Congress, including Republican John McCain, and then the President himself took up the call we in the TrueMajority has been championing for years. We have to back them up and campaign to get this done.

Personally, I’m for a SMART DEFENSE BUDGET not gutting it – OK. Let’s be clear on that.

As a purple suiter with both Army and Air Force experience, I’m not anti-Air Force by a long shot only a realist and an economical one at that. YES I DO KNOW HOW TO BALANCE A BUDGET OR I WOULD BE IN CONGRESS!!!

SMART DEFENSE BUDGET DEFINED: President Obama already knows part of it. He said so above. That said, if John McCain had won the election and said the same thing, I would clap and passionately agree CARE NOT he be a Republican.

I believe that the long standing Pentagon and Defense Industry addiction to big ticket weapon systems that have favored the lion share of the Defense Budget going to the Air Force and Navy MUST CEASE NOW. Simply put WE cannot afford it.

That said, given our situations in Iraq and Afghanistan, ground wars, and unconventional at that, the lion share of the Defense budget must go to the Army and Marine corps. I do not say this out of favoritism to either service but as a realist. Both the Army and Marine corps should have the ultimate say in what, if any, future aircraft or ship they need in order to deter or counter Al Queda like forces around the world.