Excerpts from Eisenhowers Farewell Adress

This is very interesting. This president was a conservative Republican in his time (January '57 - January 61). Someone reading the same words today would be considered a "radical liberal" - it shows how far to the right our country (including both major parties) has moved.

This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence-economic, political, even spiritual-is felt in every city, every state house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.

...

Another factor in maintaining balance involves the element of time. As we peer into society's future, we-you and I, and our government-must avoid the impulse to live only for today, plundering, for our own ease and convenience, the precious resources of tomorrow. We cannot mortgage the material assets of our grandchildren without risking the loss also of their political and spiritual heritage. We want democracy to survive for all generations to come, not to become the insolvent phantom of tomorrow.

He was right on the money. Too bad nobody bothered to listen.

And today as more and more money is wasted on giant defense projects that even the pentagon doesn't want, more and more money is cut that should go to help out the families of soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who are doing the real work - active duty, reservists and national guard.