This is exactly what Eisenhower warned us about.
Leaving office in 1961, president Eisenhower warned of the establishment of what he called a military industrial complex. Defense contractors, like Raytheon, have become powerful special interests with influence in the government. The defense lobby has grown so powerful, that we no longer create weapons for war. We create war for weapons.
Here’s a quick rundown:
In 2021, Raytheon spent over $15.3 million lobbying congress. These lobbying efforts secure and close foreign weapons deals and lead to the distribution of more and more weapons contracts stateside that lead to the development of more and more devastating and dangerous weapons.
While conventional wisdom in Washington believes these weapons sales makes America, and by extension, the world, a safer place, when in reality, these sales serve only to cushion the pockets of Raytheon and other defense contractor’s shareholders, 51 of which are members of congress, writing our laws and determining our defense budget.
War is made for weapons, and not the other way around.
With Raytheon’s quarterly profits placed above the wellbeing of human life, especially that of foreign citizens, defense lobbying doesn’t just influence arms deals, but the very conflicts these arms are used in, and supposedly built for. Because if all you have is a hammer, everything is gonna look like a nail, and if all you have are weapons, the only way to stop a conflict is through war.
Recent Posts
The Rage Of Billionaires And The Frenzy To Stop Zohran Mamdani From Becoming New York’s Mayor
June 30, 2025
Take Action Now The constellation of forces now regrouping with a vengeance includes titans of Wall Street, enormous real estate interests,…
It’s Not Just The Cities. Extreme Heat Is A Growing Threat To Rural America.
June 28, 2025
Take Action Now The urban heat island sits in a rural heat ocean.By Umair Irfan, Vox Summer has officially begun with a blast of scorching…
Mamdani’s Massive Victory Should Show Democrats Where The Party’s Future Lies
June 27, 2025
Take Action Now NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has thrown the drowning Democratic Party a life vest. Will its leaders use it?By Sam…
India Walton’s Advice For Zohran Mamdani
June 26, 2025
Take Action Now “I think that for him, the race ’til November needs to be staying on message—we can’t start to water it down…