Gather Information
First priority - is to understand the geopolitical landscape and the levers to pull for change.
The issue currently before our nation and in the hands of Congress is the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act which sets 11 Naval Combatants to be cut from our fleet. This reduction directly impacts our nation’s ability to carry out our global responsibilities and provide ample national defense. Having already cut back over 10 ships in the 2023 NDAA and projecting the decommissioning of the same number over the next five fiscal years our Navy Battle Force is in an emergency situation!
By FY 2027, at the current rates of naval combatants being cut the U.S. navy will be looking at a projected battle force of 285 combatants against China’s 440 plus platforms and Russia’s 220 plus naval combatants. With both strategic competitors doing joint naval exercises, sharing intelligence, and forging closer militarily ties, we can only expect more strategic collaboration in the future which will present substantial challenges to our global operational footprint. It is not time to deconstruct and decommission much of our navy, it’s time - to Build Our Navy!
Understanding the defense landscape and the components that make it strong and sustainable year-over-year take considerable resources and time – like several lifetimes. But the everyday person can become proficient in the basics of understanding what could be done in certain circumstances and what should be done in others. With the proper community the learning system the arc for informed action can be acquired. The Common Sense Defense Community will provide that environment of expertise.
There are many opportunities to get involved individually, or as a group but the most prominent ones come from the Common Sense Defense Podcast community with the following projects that revolve around three different areas:
Congressional Action: Through reaching out to all 535 Congressional Representatives on a consistent basis about the need to appropriate $15 Billion into the Navy budget for sustainment, infrastructure, weapons, and additional surface combatants.
Economic Action: Includes the collective and cumulative effect of individual action taken to support the long-term national defense objectives and impacting the balance of power capabilities afforded in favor of US defense establishments and not in favor of PRC defense establishments capabilities.
Don't Fund the PRC Defense Industry
The primary way the PRC gets U.S. dollars into its government coffers to pay for PRC Ships, Aircraft, Missiles, and other weapons to project against and potentially use against us is through the U.S. consumer, who buys big ticket items like kitchen appliances, electronics, and computers made by Chinese owned companies. The U.S. Consumer needs to know that 1 out of every 4 dollars they spend goes directly to the PRC, as their companies typically pay 25% taxes for products sold in the U.S. thus one out of four dollars goes right into the PRCs bank account.
Ask your primary retailers to move their supply chains from China to friendlier nations. Reduce patronage of China based companies. Buy products that are not made using Chinese owned companies. Block your investment portfolio from investing in companies that are associated with the PRC.
Helping the U.S. Defense Industry means supporting efforts that help train and develop the capabilities of the Defense Industrial Base. For the Build our Navy project, this means the Shipbuilding Industrial Base must be successful in its mission to recruit, employ, train and to equip its workforce to build as many advanced naval combatants as possible. This includes all defense contractors and their suppliers who need stable workflows, ample workspace, and a well-trained workforce.
If you can think of someone looking for a job that can benefit the Shipbuilding Industrial Base, refer them, and make sure they have the support to be successful in their job. The nation is short 30,000 shipyard workers with specialties that we need to fill and sustain so we can build the naval platforms coming online over the next decades.
Join the Common Sense Defense Community of everyday people who want to play a greater role supporting our national defense.
First priority - is to understand the geopolitical landscape and the levers to pull for change.
Contact your Congressional Representatives for help and to take action for defense.
We will examine individual actions that will peel back the PRC's defense budget.
Helping the Defense Industry means supporting contractors in their mission for the nation.
The nation is short 30,000 shipyard workers - Recruit!
Learn more and join the CSD Community by clicking the button below
If you want to stay informed on congressional outreach and common sense actions you can take to help enhance lethality and capability of our National Defense then join the Common Sense Defense community for the daily podcast and critical information.