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Iron Triangles & the Military Industrial Complex
This document discusses how iron triangles warp government policymaking. An iron triangle is a mutually reinforcing relationship between a government agency, key congressional committees that oversee the agency, and private industries regulated by that agency. This creates powerful lobbying groups that prioritize their own interests over the public interest. As an example, it outlines the "defense iron triangle" relationship between weapons manufacturers, congressional defense committees, and the Pentagon in pushing for increased military spending against the wishes of most Americans.
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Iron Triangles & the Military Industrial Complex
- 1. IRON TRIANGLES Strangling Democracy byCraig Collins, Ph.D.
- 2. The Government Bureaucracy ——TheConstitutionThe Constitution—— President Congress Courts GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACIESGOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACIESGOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACIESGOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACIES Regulations & Subsidies MAKE LAWS • Approve Apts • Pass Budget • Oversight & Investigation • Ratify Treaties (Senate) ENFORCE LAWS • Appoint Heads • Propose Laws/Budget • Veto/Sign Laws • Sign Treaties INTERPRET LAWS Judicial Review —Congressional Intent —Constitutionality —Procedural Violations PRIVATE INDUSTRIES ( Banking, Agri-Business, Energy/Oil, etc.) PRIVATE INDUSTRIES ( Banking, Agri-Business, Energy/Oil, etc.) PUBLIC SERVICESPUBLIC SERVICES (Medicare, Social Sec., Disaster Relief) PUBLIC SERVICESPUBLIC SERVICES (Medicare, Social Sec., Disaster Relief) Collect Taxes Programs
- 3. Iron Triangles WarpGovernmentIron Triangles Warp Government Government Agency Or Department Government Agency Or Department Congress (Key Committees)Congress (Key Committees) President Courts Private Industry Private Industry
- 4. Congress (key Congressional committees) Congress (keyCongressional committees) Private Industry Government AgencyGovernment Agency IRON TRIANGLES:IRON TRIANGLES: Powerful, 3-way, mutually reinforcing policy-makingPowerful, 3-way, mutually reinforcing policy-making relationships between...relationships between... TAXE$ Campaign cash Lobbying Operating Budget & Policy control Subsidies, tax breaks, contracts favorable regulations Revolving Door President Campaign cash Lobbying Appoint agency heads
- 5. Government is aMaze of Iron Triangles Weapons MakersWeapons Makers PentagonPentagon (DoD)(DoD) Drug IndustryDrug Industry (Pharma)(Pharma) The FDAThe FDA BankingBankingTreasuryTreasury The SECThe SEC The FEDThe FED Timber &Timber & MiningMining DepartmentDepartment of Interiorof Interior Forest Service, BLMForest Service, BLM Dept. of AgricultureDept. of Agriculture Agri-BusinessAgri-Business (Boeing, GE, Aerojet, Lockheed-Martin) (Lilly, Pfizer, Abbott, Johnson & Johnson) (Chase, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, B of A, Wells Fargo, Citicorp) (Kimberly-Clark, Georgia Pacific, Neumont, Barrick) (Nabisco, Archer Daniels Midland, Monsanto, Cargill, Pepsi, Coke, Kellogs) Defense Iron Triangle
- 6. Public opinion pollsconsistently show that about 75% of the public favors a reduction in defense spending. By contrast, support for increasing military spending gets about 4% support in Democratic districts and 15%in Republican districts. Where Does The PubicWhere Does The Pubic Stand on Military Spending?Stand on Military Spending?
- 7. Military Spending Doubles from1998-2008
- 8. Military Spending & TheFederal Budget
- 9. How Much DoWe Spend Compared to Other Nations?
- 10. The DEFENSE IRONTRIANGLEThe DEFENSE IRON TRIANGLE The Military-Industrial ComplexThe Military-Industrial Complex CONGRESS COMMITTEES: Arms Appropriations Defense Armed Services CONGRESS COMMITTEES: Arms Appropriations Defense Armed Services WEAPONSWEAPONS PRODUCERSPRODUCERS Boeing, Lockheed-Martin,Boeing, Lockheed-Martin, GE, Aerojet, HalliburtonGE, Aerojet, Halliburton WEAPONSWEAPONS PRODUCERSPRODUCERS Boeing, Lockheed-Martin,Boeing, Lockheed-Martin, GE, Aerojet, HalliburtonGE, Aerojet, Halliburton The PENTAGONThe PENTAGON (Dept. of Defense) Campaign $$, Lobbying Defense Jobs Revolving Door Military Budget Weapons Contracts Base Building & Supplying