That Didn't Take Long

This BBC article lays out Defense Secretary Robert Gates' plan to trim $78 billion from the Pentagon budget over the next five years. It's the biggest cut since 2001, and focuses mainly on eliminating outdated and unneeded weapons systems. But I direct your attention to the last paragraph:

The major weapons programmes cuts are likely to encounter opposition from US congressmen and senators in whose constituencies the arms are manufactured.

"I'm not happy," House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard McKeon told reporters. He said the cuts were greater than defence companies had been expecting.

So assuming the BBC quoted McKeon correctly, immediately upon taking power, the allegedly anti-waste, anti-spending GOP handed the Armed Services Committee over to a congressman whose reaction upon hearing about a round of proposed defense cuts was . . . concern for the well-being of defense contractors.