Marine Corps budget gets curb stomped...

via Breaking Defense.

Most surprisingly, Marine Corps procurement took a significant hit. The Marines are normally politically popular with the public and Congress alike, but this year the House proposed 7.4 percent less for their procurement programs (run by the Navy Department) than the president’s request and the Senate proposed 2.1 percent, with the chambers compromising on 4.9. We’re still figuring out where exactly these reductions came from….

Wow.

A 5% percent hit to the budget?  Seems like just a small thing right?  Wrong. This is suppose to be the next to last "big budget" before sequestration and worse hits.

We need to know more.

Were these cuts requested by the Marine Corps?  We need to know more before we jump high and to the right.  Historically the Marines have been known to tell Congress that they don't need x, y or z and to scratch it, but we'll see.

What I find interesting is the breakdown.  The House went with 7.4 percent cut?  That's getting close to 10 percent.  But then the Senate went with 2.1? They compromised with 4.9?

Could the House cuts of that magnitude have been asked for by the Marines? I just don't know and quite honestly I cringe at the idea of even trying to ask a Marine Officer that's been tasked with being a Congressional Liaison.

I hate politicians and they're so political its painful.  Necessary but painful...even the conversations.