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Chris Stewart on Homeland Security |
It is the fundamental responsibility of the federal government to provide for our mutual defense. And though national security is not foremost on many people's minds right now, sometime in the near future we will face a national security crisis again. Insurgents are gaining power in Iraq and Afghanistan. Iran is on the verge of a nuclear weapon. Pakistan is unreliable and sitting on a nuclear arsenal. Hostilities are growing in many corners of the world. History assures us that another security crisis will come. When it does, it is absolutely essential that we be prepared. We must keep our military strong. We must provide our troops with the tools that they need to succeed.
But that doesn't mean the military shouldn't be exposed to the same scrutiny that the rest of the government will face. By closing overseas bases and streamlining operations, the military can sustain some reductions in spending without hurting national security.
Project Vote Smart infers candidate issue stances on key topics by summarizing public speeches and public statements. Congressional candidates are given the opportunity to respond in detail; about 11% did so in the 2012 races.
Project Vote Smart summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: 'Budget: In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?'