[MFSSCW2c]

Here's the issue with the military budget. Most of it is about jobs, not defense. If we slash the military budget we take away good jobs from millions of people, whether they are making bullets or making fenders for a vehicle that will never see battle. Also, because it is military related, we keep the jobs in this country; there's no off-shoring our security issues. So, when Congress critters keep failed weapons systems in the military budget, its because of the civilian jobs, not the Nation's security.

The biggest infrastructure project in the US in the 20th century was probably the Interstate Highway System. Ever notice its real name? "Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways." The decision to build this system gained approval because of its defense capabilities. It was seen as a defense project, not a commerce project. Standards for design were included to ensure the highway could be bombed and still be useful. There are no single-bridge sections on the Interstate, regardless of the traffic counts.

I mention this because this is a way to deflect military money to infrastructure projects and not cause severe economic disruption.

(The Space Program is another program that deflected military spending.)