Mr. Gates and the Pentagon Budget

One of the reasons military health care has grown is Congress decided to put all the Reserves in the program... not just those on active duty. This effectively more than double the TRICARE eligible population. What's the solution --- eliminate TRICARE and merge it with Federal Employees Benefits program --- pay the fees of active duty and charge retirees the same fee as other civilians ($5000 a year).

Take a broader view.

The military budget must and will pass.

Expenditures placed in the military budget will be funded. Money.

Congressmen get re-elected by giving their constituencies what they want.

What a congressional constituency wants is money.

Good luck, Mr Gates. This is the only stimulus the Republicans will vote for.