Pentagon postpones Trump's military parade

[GMDino]

https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/16/politics/military-parade-postponed/index.html

Quote:The Department of Defense says the military parade originally scheduled for Veterans Day will be postponed.


"The Department of Defense and White House have been planning a parade to honor America's military veterans and commemorate the centennial of World War I," Defense Department spokesman Col. Rob Manning said in a statement Thursday. "We originally targeted November 10, 2018 for this event but have now agreed to explore opportunities in 2019."


The parade was scheduled for the day before the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended the First World War. French President Emmanuel Macron is holding a gathering of world leaders in Paris on November 11 to celebrate the anniversary.


President Donald Trump said in February that a military parade in Washington would be "great for the spirit of the country," but that it would need to come at a "reasonable cost." The President said he was inspired by the Bastille Day parade in France, which he described as "quite something" after attending in 2017.

CNN previously reported that the parade would focus on celebrating veterans and involve US troops in period uniforms as well as US military aircraft but no heavy vehicles like tanks in order to prevent damage to infrastructure.


An administration official told CNN the $92 million figure for the US military parade, which was first reported by CNBC, was a planning estimate for an event that would meet President Donald Trump's intent. About half that amount would have been for non-military costs like security.



The White House would have been consulted on the decision to postpone the parade, the official said. Another official told CNN the Defense Department statement had been coordinated with the White House.


CNN has reached out to the White House for comment about the postponement.


That price tag had sparked criticism from at least one prominent group.


On Thursday, the American Legion reacted to reports that the parade could cost tens of millions more than originally expected by saying the money would be better spent in other ways.


"The American Legion appreciates that our President wants to show in a dramatic fashion our nation's support for our troops," American Legion national commander Denise Rohan said in a statement. "However, until such time as we can celebrate victory in the War on Terrorism and bring our military home, we think the parade money would be better spent fully funding the Department of Veteran Affairs and giving our troops and their families the best care possible."

[Benton]

Well, I never expected to see the DoD as the voice of fiscal responsibility. But at least they're there to reign in the White House and Congress.

[*Nately120*]

The longer we put this off, the more it's going to cost. Just a hunch.

[RICHMONDBENGAL_07]

I really don't understand this random military parade obsession he has? I mean it just screams something that some third rate dictator, in some shithole country would do to try and show military might. Dumb waste of money

[GMDino]

(08-17-2018, 02:11 AM)RICHMONDBENGAL_07 Wrote: I really don't understand this random military parade obsession he has?  I mean it just screams something that some third rate dictator, in some shithole country    would do to try and show military might.  Dumb waste of money

Trump is about brand and show.

He saw France had a parade...and he's the POTUS so HE wants to have a parade.

He can stand there and use the best words to praise the military and smile like he created it.

His supporters will eat it up.  Great television and wonderful for his image and campaign.

[GMDino]

Oh, and Trump is taking full credit for cancelling the parade now too.

He blames the D.C. officials who are charging too much.

The local politicians who run Washington, D.C. (poorly) know a windfall when they see it. When asked to give us a price for holding a great celebratory military parade, they wanted a number so ridiculously high that I cancelled it. Never let someone hold you up! I will instead...

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2018

....attend the big parade already scheduled at Andrews Air Force Base on a different date, & go to the Paris parade, celebrating the end of the War, on November 11th. Maybe we will do something next year in D.C. when the cost comes WAY DOWN. Now we can buy some more jet fighters!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2018

[Belsnickel]

(08-17-2018, 09:57 AM)GMDino Wrote: Oh, and Trump is taking full credit for cancelling the parade now too.

He blames the D.C. officials who are charging too much.

The local politicians who run Washington, D.C. (poorly) know a windfall when they see it. When asked to give us a price for holding a great celebratory military parade, they wanted a number so ridiculously high that I cancelled it. Never let someone hold you up! I will instead...

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2018

....attend the big parade already scheduled at Andrews Air Force Base on a different date, & go to the Paris parade, celebrating the end of the War, on November 11th. Maybe we will do something next year in D.C. when the cost comes WAY DOWN. Now we can buy some more jet fighters!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2018

"Now we can buy some more jet fighters instead of using the money to actually improve the lives of our citizenry because **** the American people."

[GMDino]

(08-17-2018, 10:14 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: "Now we can buy some more jet fighters instead of using the money to actually improve the lives of our citizenry because **** the American people."

Listen Joe Vet loves his military more than he worries about losing a limb to his diabetes!

All seriousness aside the loudest noise opposing this was from groups who wanted that money to go to vets...not planes.

[*bfine32*]

Glad POTUS listened to reason on this. Most Military communities hold annual events to "Salute the Troops" in their local area. No need for a Nationalistic show of force. Of course my opinion may be different if I lived in an area than has zero interaction with our Military. I might want to seen some thing I've never seen before.

[Benton]

(08-17-2018, 11:12 AM)bfine32 Wrote: Glad POTUS listened to reason on this. Most Military communities hold annual events to "Salute the Troops" in their local area. No need for a Nationalistic show of force. Of course my opinion may be different if I lived in an area than has zero interaction with our Military. I might want to seen some thing I've never seen before.

I live in a small town, but I like what we do. Every year for about 18 years now, there's a family that organizes a veteran's luncheon. The lady who started it was a teacher. She would have her kids present flags, sing the anthem and usually give a really brief reading. Then lunch.

All volunteer. Takes about 30 people and two days of cooking for an hour long lunch. But it draws in 300-400 hundred veterans (and their spouses) from across the region and lets them know they are appreciated.

No giant parade, no grandstanding. If a politician shows up, no politicking. 

[GMDino]

(08-17-2018, 11:30 AM)Benton Wrote: I live in a small town, but I like what we do. Every year for about 18 years now, there's a family that organizes a veteran's luncheon. The lady who started it was a teacher. She would have her kids present flags, sing the anthem and usually give a really brief reading. Then lunch.

All volunteer. Takes about 30 people and two days of cooking for an hour long lunch. But it draws in 300-400 hundred veterans (and their spouses) from across the region and lets them know they are appreciated.

No giant parade, no grandstanding. If a politician shows up, no politicking. 

That's low energy.  No pop.  Will get horrible ratings.  

[GMDino]

I know it's going to be hard to believe, but Trump either doesn't know, deliberately lied, or is just covering his own, wide, hiney....again.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/08/17/trump-blames-d-c-government-parade-delay-despite-high-cost/1017161002/

Quote:Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser said the proposed parade carried significant concerns for taxpayers, and she mocked Trump for his complaints.


"Yup, I’m Muriel Bowser, mayor of Washington DC, the local politician who finally got thru to the reality star in the White House with the realities ($21.6M) of parades/events/demonstrations in Trump America (sad)," she said in a sub-tweet.

Quote:
[/url]MurielBowser

@MurielBowser





Yup, I’m Muriel Bowser, mayor of Washington DC, the local politician who finally got thru to the reality star in the White House with the realities ($21.6M) of parades/events/demonstrations in Trump America (sad).
Donald J. Trump

@realDonaldTrump

The local politicians who run Washington, D.C. (poorly) know a windfall when they see it. When asked to give us a price for holding a great celebratory military parade, they wanted a number so ridiculously high that I cancelled it. Never let someone hold you up! I will instead...

8:52 AM - Aug 17, 2018 · Washington, DC

• 
  30.7K
• 
  10.6K people are talking about this
  

Twitter Ads info and privacy



John J. Falcicchio, chief of staff to Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser, took issue with Trump's claim that the city is "poorly" run, calling it "fake news." He cited a newly earned Triple AAA bond rating.

"When they go low, we go high ... Like our bond rating," Falcicchio said in sub-tweeting Trump.

Quote:
John J. Falcicchio@falcicchio





When they go low, we go high

Like our bond rating https://mayor.dc.gov/release/moodys-upgrades-district-general-obligations-bonds-highest-possible-rating-triple-aaa …

‘who run Washington, D.C. (poorly)’? That claim is #FakeNews
Donald J. Trump

@realDonaldTrump

The local politicians who run Washington, D.C. (poorly) know a windfall when they see it. When asked to give us a price for holding a great celebratory military parade, they wanted a number so ridiculously high that I cancelled it. Never let someone hold you up! I will instead...

9:11 AM - Aug 17, 2018 · Washington, DC

• 
  81
• 
  [url=https://twitter.com/falcicchio/status/1030442081880338432]28 people are talking about this
  

Twitter Ads info and privacy



Trump's attendance at a Paris military parade last year inspired him to call for an American version, now postponed because of ever-rising costs.

U.S. officials on Thursday put the potential cost at up to $92 million, some $80 million more than initially estimated – cited expenses for aircraft, equipment, personnel and security, not charges from the Washington, D.C., government as claimed by Trump.

In a statement, the Pentagon said "the Department of Defense and White House have been planning a parade to honor America's military veterans and commemorate the centennial of World War I. We originally targeted November 10, 2018 for this event but have now agreed to explore opportunities in 2019."

Some military groups welcomed the decision.


"The parade money would be better spent fully funding the Department of Veterans Affairs and giving our troops and their families the best care possible," the American Legion said.

[fredtoast]

An administration official told CNN the $92 million figure for the US military parade, which was first reported by CNBC, was a planning estimate for an event that would meet President Donald Trump's intent. About half that amount would have been for non-military costs like security.




This seems a bit unusual.  How much security do we need to protect hundreds of armed soldiers.  I am guess that by "security" they mean guns aimed at the spectators to make sure they show respect.  Trump learned about enforcing mandatory patriotism from his little buddies Kim and Vladimir.

[*PhilHos*]

It kind of cracks me up when people complain about government spending when it's spending on something they disagree with. I know I'm guilty of it myself and I know this is one of those "bipartisan" thinigs where both sides are guilty but it still is something that makes me laugh.

[Millhouse]

(08-17-2018, 11:30 AM)Benton Wrote: I live in a small town, but I like what we do. Every year for about 18 years now, there's a family that organizes a veteran's luncheon. The lady who started it was a teacher. She would have her kids present flags, sing the anthem and usually give a really brief reading. Then lunch.

All volunteer. Takes about 30 people and two days of cooking for an hour long lunch. But it draws in 300-400 hundred veterans (and their spouses) from across the region and lets them know they are appreciated.

No giant parade, no grandstanding. If a politician shows up, no politicking. 

My town still has a Memorial Day parade that morning of. Bunch of vets either walk or are in cars, and heads towards the main cemetery which ends with a ceremony. It used to be quite an event couple of decades ago when a lot of the WW2 vets were still alive. But now that almost all of them have passed along with any Korean vets as well, its really a couple dozen or so Vietnam vets if that even, with a handful of Gulf War and post 9-11 vets.

[Millhouse]

(08-16-2018, 10:56 PM)Benton Wrote: Well, I never expected to see the DoD as the voice of fiscal responsibility. But at least they're there to reign in the White House and Congress.

The problem is that this parade money would be accounted for. They aren't fans of that.

[Belsnickel]

(08-17-2018, 01:41 PM)fredtoast Wrote: This seems a bit unusual.  How much security do we need to protect hundreds of armed soldiers.  I am guess that by "security" they mean guns aimed at the spectators to make sure they show respect.  Trump learned about enforcing mandatory patriotism from his little buddies Kim and Vladimir.

If you think our military would parade with armed soldiers, you don't know our military. There would be no ammunition in those weapons.

(08-17-2018, 01:54 PM)PhilHos Wrote: It kind of cracks me up when people complain about government spending when it's spending on something they disagree with. I know I'm guilty of it myself and I know this is one of those "bipartisan" thinigs where both sides are guilty but it still is something that makes me laugh.

This is why I don't complain about spending and instead comment on how the funds would be better served going towards programs like healthcare, housing, or job training for our citizens.

[Dill]

(08-17-2018, 12:02 PM)GMDino Wrote: I know it's going to be hard to believe, but Trump either doesn't know, deliberately lied, or is just covering his own, wide, hiney....again.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/08/17/trump-blames-d-c-government-parade-delay-despite-high-cost/1017161002/

Another black woman attacking Trump!

[Dill]

(08-17-2018, 01:41 PM)fredtoast Wrote: An administration official told CNN the $92 million figure for the US military parade, which was first reported by CNBC, was a planning estimate for an event that would meet President Donald Trump's intent. About half that amount would have been for non-military costs like security.




This seems a bit unusual.  How much security do we need to protect hundreds of armed soldiers.  I am guess that by "security" they mean guns aimed at the spectators to make sure they show respect.  Trump learned about enforcing mandatory patriotism from his little buddies Kim and Vladimir.

Security is not just about protecting military marchers. The primary focus would be on crowd control and terrorism prevention. That means hundreds of people, lots of high tech equipment, including helicopters. They need office space and weeks of planning too.

[*PhilHos*]

(08-17-2018, 03:53 PM)Dill Wrote: Security is not just about protecting military marchers. The primary focus would be on crowd control and terrorism prevention. That means hundreds of people, lots of high tech equipment, including helicopters. They need office space and weeks of planning too.

The fact that there's a need for security at a parade for and by military personnel says a lot about our country.