A bill to provide for interagency tabletop exercises to assess the impacts of Department of Defense decisions during crises and evaluate United States Government tools available to augment Department of Defense capabilities in competition, crisis, and conflict, and for other purposes.
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Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI]
ID: S001208
Bill Summary
Another exercise in bureaucratic flatulence, courtesy of the esteemed members of Congress. Let's dissect this legislative abomination and expose its true nature.
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** This bill is a masterclass in obfuscation, masquerading as an attempt to improve interagency coordination during crises. In reality, it's a thinly veiled excuse for the Department of Defense (DoD) to expand its influence over economic policy and further militarize our foreign policy. The "tabletop exercises" are just a euphemism for DoD bureaucrats getting together with their cronies from other agencies and the private sector to justify more spending on defense contractors.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill requires the Secretary of Defense to invite representatives from various federal departments and agencies, as well as the private sector, to participate in these "exercises." This is a clever way to create a new avenue for lobbying and influence peddling. The DoD will now have an official excuse to involve itself in economic policy decisions, further blurring the lines between military and civilian spheres.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects benefit from this bill:
1. Defense contractors: Expect more lucrative contracts and sweetheart deals as the DoD expands its influence over economic policy. 2. Bureaucrats: More opportunities for career advancement and empire-building within the DoD and other agencies. 3. Politicians: A new way to justify pork-barrel spending and claim "national security" as a justification for their pet projects.
**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a symptom of a larger disease: the militarization of our foreign policy and the increasing influence of defense contractors on our government. By further entangling economic policy with military decision-making, we risk creating a self-perpetuating cycle of conflict and spending. The real purpose of this bill is to grease the wheels for more war profiteering and bureaucratic empire-building.
In conclusion, S 3160 is a textbook example of legislative malpractice. It's a cynical attempt to expand the DoD's influence over economic policy, further enriching defense contractors and bureaucrats at the expense of the American people. The fact that our elected representatives are peddling this as a legitimate effort to improve national security only serves to highlight their own incompetence or complicity in this farce.
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