Wheres the Pork?
There are two likely explanations for the House vote. Members may have been convinced by the arguments contained in a May 7 memorandum from Representative Les Aspin, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. (Les Aspin, “Combat Effectiveness for the Army Guard,” memo, House Armed Services Committee, May 7, 1992. These arguments were further amplified by the House Armed Services Committee in its FY ’93 Defense Authorization Bill: Summary of Major Actions, Committee markup, May 13, 1992.) Aspin invokes several myths to make the Guard appear far more useful in today’s new strategic environment than it really is. It is more likely, however, that Aspin’s arguments serve as a smoke screen for the real reason: Congress fears the loss of weekend jobs and the Guard’s $5.4 billion budget, most of which is spent in members’ home districts. But good pork makes for bad strategy. Despite congressional claims to the contrary, the National Guard is ill-equipped to meet the military threats Ameri
