What is the appropriate balance between "guns and butter" (or between military and civilian needs) in the USA?
369027
The answer is simple.  The balance is dynamic.  Of course almost everyone likes butter better than guns.  The solution is whatever minimum level of guns allows one to keep one's butter unmolested.  Too few guns and the fella with more guns (and less respect for ethics) takes your butter.
18098
I think service to the government in some form should be compulsary for all young people although it should not be military except where required. It should be in some form or manner of service (e.g. writing software if you are an IT person, or doing something that is contributing to the welfare of the country).
946134
Yes.  I don't think any Military-Style assault weapons should be available to the general public.\n\nYes.  If you are buying a gun and need it that day, you are up to something BAD.  You can easily wait a month for a background check.\n\nYes.  NEVER SELL A GUN OR AMMO TO A MINOR.\n\nYes.  There are a million ways to do it.
622482
Well, from a practical POV, encouraging people to volunteer is OK (think AmeriCorps) but forcing them is logistically tricky.\n\nIf you're arguing affirmative at all, then I would say the Armed Forces option or AmeriCorps/Learn and Serve America would be better bets. \n\nFrom a negative standpoint, there's the whole infringing freedom thing.\n\n(Personally, this answerer thinks that requiring service is a good thing, but maybe it should stay on a local level, seeing as how the govt. has enough going on right now.)
831347
As a Brit  I apologise for stepping in here, but would just like to say that the only two members of my American family who possess guns are police officers.  The remainder refuse to own guns on the grounds that too many 'accidents' occur in households where weapons are kept. They have a point - I lived in New York for a while and the number of accidental (fatal) shootings by children of children, in the home, amazed me - as did the arbitrary and senseless shooting of people on the streets.  So I guess the family has a point. \n\nIncidentally, regarding the comment above that the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution gives Americans the constitutional right to own guns, doesn't the relevant sentence say  "A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed."   Surely, all that means is that in the absence of a standing army (the newly formed United States not yet having a regular army when the Constitution was drafted), the people were allowed to bear arms, as members of a disciplined militia, in order to protect their new nation in case of an attack by outside forces?  Now that the USA has both a National Guard  _and_  an enormous Regular Army, isn't that Amendment now redundant and a couple of centuries out of date?     \n\nI'm only asking... but it's a question that's worth calm, reasoned discussion, surely?
959701
No turn it over to the military! Let them do their job, they are the ones on the ground!\n\nIf we are going to fight a war...we must fight to win. Turn it over to the generals and let the bullets fly! You win wars by attrition nor pin point accuracy!
1026966
very.  to fix is you need to redefine a nation's priorities.  change from what i want (something to entertain me) to what they need (the need for basic items to live).  interesting question to pose to the most selfish and self obsesed people in the world.  (not every american is like that, but i think as a nation we are).
584217
In general no, the military needs room to train the soldiers, store equipment, personnel and most importantly ammunition.  I would be a bad idea to have very large store of ammunition (think bullets, bombs, artillery shells and other explosives) in a big city.  On top of storing it there it would have to be shipped in, right past all the civilians that would/could be hurt in the event of an accident.  Small bases would probably not be a problem, in fact the are small military bases in just about every major city in the US, usually National Guard and Reserve.\n\nAnd on a lighter side I don't think a big city could handle all those horny, testosterone filled guys running all over the place.  Fathers would have to lock their daughters up at night, just to keep them safe.\n\nI just looked over some of the other answers and in most (but not all) of those instances the towns are ther b/c of the military bases.  And by big cities I was assuming you meant places like NYC, LA, Chicago.  Those are BIG cities, the others mentioned are more like large towns.
787966
Clear open government, independent congress and judicial system that cannot be manipulated by presidency.  Clear separation of church and state- ie no intelligent design taught in schools, no head dresses allowed in public buildings. Freedom of speech within reason (nothing that offends others - to be decided on by judicial system) Taxes used to pay for education and social security/medicare- always ensure that a minumum wage pays better than benifits. Respect for the geneva convention and international agreements such as kyoto. Detached forign policy, no military manipulation of forign governments, instead use commercial incentives to encourage democracy (ie maybe the middle east would like to trade oil rather than rip them off). Only use military as a last resort to prevent attrocities such as genocide in conjunction with international community support.\n\nthats a few ideas anyway, I guess I would also like to see honest debate from both sides instead of political rhetoric. Its unbeleivable that the debate over the iraq war in congress was reduced to catchy phrases like 'cut and run'. These people are being paid by taxpayers money - they have an obligation to have a serious debate rather than indulge in political spin.\n\nBy the way, im not even american, but i think these are the values that i think are best about your country and that they should be reflected in your government.
658982
Do you mean military weapons, or weapons in the hands of citizens?\n\nLet's start with the military weapons.  This is our defense.  As the person above me said, "A good offense is a strong defense".  This means that by using a "show of force" (we are strong), we can repel invaders and protect our borders and citizens.\n\nWeapons for the citizens.  This was written into the US Constitution in an effort to prevent a tyrannical government from taking over.  Remember, we had just fought a war with England, and we did not want to allow that to happen again.  So, they wrote the Constitution, and incorporated the "Right to keep and bear arms".  This allows our citizens to bear arms in case of a repeat in government, or we are invaded.\n\nI hope this answers your question.
956033
the US has a history of trying to be the healer of the world.\nbut there is a line between helping and supporting.\nthere is a bigger line between supporting and suppling weapons to people
1029919
The US military is a perfect slice of Americana.  You have people of all walks coming in for various reasons.  Jews and Muslims.  Christians and Pagans.  Black, Caucasian, Arabic, etc...  Straight and gay.  Liberal, conservative and plain old apathetic.  A collection of good people, with some bad apples thrown in because that's society.  The point being is that military folks aren't really any different than what you encounter in your own neighborhoods.  It is the perfect melting pot and almost a pinnacle of what America should be; acceptance of diversity.\n\nWhat they should also know is the history of the US Military.  All of it.  Both it's triumphs and defeats, as well as the honor that most of us in the profession of Arms withhold juxtaposed with the shame that some in a very small minority live and die with.\n\nYour children should know that good people die so they can ask these questions.  Military members provide for defense of this country and its freedoms.  Hopefully those elected officials who have their hand in the military governance, have a enough sense to know what freedom really means.\n\nIf you want a history lesson, don't read a book; talk to a vet.
79570
There should be a good balance between freedom and security and most times in america's history we have tried to do that. Now there seems to be more security and less freedom.  We have to have a balnce and i don't know what it is going to be but i hope there is one soon, for all our sakes.
1021052
They do not necessarily have to spend less on military in order to spend more on helping the poor & disadvantaged. However for countries who are not as developed like Iran, they should spend a lot less on weapons to help their own poor people. For advanced countries like America, they have the right to spend more on weapons as their needy people are already being taken care of.
803562
The statistics are a little off since you are not accounting for all of the seriously injured people which is in the 10's of thousands who barely survived, plus we have never maintained a force of 160,000!!!!  Our force is more like 140,000 and only about 15,000 of those troops are assigned to direct combat roles, the rest are support troops.  Plus 2112, is a bit low.  CNN puts it at 2,885 just for the Americans as of 11/30/06.  So when you factor your statistics drag 15,000 over more like 32 months at this point and then factor in the 2,885 for a more reality based statistic.\n\nThen you may want to look at minority statistics in D.C. before you keep this up.  I doubt there are too many upper class white government officials getting whacked in D.C.  Then look at poor minority murders in the area and you are looking at more like 500:100,000.  \n\nPoint with all of this is when you don't know how to look at the statistics and your original criteria is off you are never going to come to a proper conclusion.
533358
18 years old, not convicted of a felony, not been in a mental institution, US resident, not addicted to narcotics.  there is a "yellow sheet" you fill out when making the purchase.  there are 11 questions pertaining to the above that you must answer.\n\na military rifle should be the same, as long as it is a semi-auto.
341637
VISIT\nin.dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/Shopping_and_Services/Weapons/Personal_Defence/