The moneypit called The US Military

Yup, going there...

We were warned about standing armies. George Washington warned us about having them at our formation, which was why the idea of a militia was so prominent to men like him. Educated young people, formed in each community, taught in the ways of the military, ready to fight when called, but beyond that, going about their business... that was the 'militia'. Small 'units', decentralized, but all with the purpose of defending this country when needed. It's a defensive tool.
A navy is different in that a navy is, by its nature, global. All you need is to add water. The navy was there to defend out trade interests, wherever our merchants needed to be. Marines, attached directly to the Navy (Even today, the USMC is a branch of the Department Of The Navy), were to be used in the event that defense of assets had to go ashore.
Beyond the militia to guard our shores and a navy to guard our trade interests, that was how we were to operate, as a country. Some would argue we did a piss poor job of defense through these methods, looking at the War of 1812, but we're still here, aren't we. Not that bad.
Then, it began to turn.

Sure, you could go right after the formation and look at things like the Whiskey Rebellion, but the government response to that was as it should (if you agree the federal government has the authority to quell rebellions) in that a militia army was raise, crisis dealt with, army desolved.

As Our eyes got bigger, so did the reach of a military. Through expansion, a full time service became normal. Still minute by today's standards, but a standing army.
There were peaks and valley's of how large or small it was, but  in general, the military was kept small and the expansion of US Imperialism was kept... in check. Then we're treated to WWII and it all falls to shit and the solidifying of a permanent military industry was locked in.

There's been a plethora of information of how this happened, but my favorite author of this period, Garet Garrett, detailed it brilliantly in his essay "Rise Of Empire." This can be found in its full form in his book "Ex-America" or in a condensed PDF version provided by the Mises Institute called "American Empire". Garrett references Congressional debates whereby Senetors and Representatives basically say "The Military knows how much equipment they need. We should just give it to them."
You have a child; Suzy. Suzy is a bit of a bratty little girl, but she's your princess. Suzy wants new toys. Suzy wants lots of new toys. Suzy wants lots of expensive new toys. Being that you're the parent, responsible for what Suzy does, do you just give in and give Suzy all the toys she wants?

Eisenhower, in his farewell address, warned about the military industrial complex. People often use this point he made while forgetting that he wasn't entirely talking about shutting down the standing armies, but of keeping it all in check. He was a career soldier; he didn't want to shut it down. But he knew it had to be kept in check or else it would grow out of control, which it has.

I used to hear the term military industrial complex and get pissy. Mainly because those who were using it were hippies who believe in the "all you need is love" philosophy. Which sounds great, except people suck, no matter what you do and if you try the 'flowers in the barrels of the guns' thing with people who truly want to conquer you, you'll find that flower implanted in your skull, directly in front of the copper jacketed rifle round. War may never be the answer, but it is an answer. But my awakening took time and some of it was this belief in our military expansion. I liked the idea that we had bases around the world. "To protect us." That is until I started thinking critically and analyzed the question "How would you feel is say China had a base into the continental US? To protect their interests." Changes the angle of attack, doesn't it?

Without request, we imposed our will around the world. We would protect "freedom" from the Communists. The US taxpayer, who were supposed to be the ones in charge of government, were ordered to fund the military 'aid' actions around the globe. What?? I didn't sign up for that? Where's that authority laid out?  Oh, nowhere. Okay, just checking.
With all this, so rose the "Military Industrial Complex". Entire sectors of business whose purpose is to create new and innovative weapons and technology to drive our military action. If the entirety of the military budget was magically cut tomorrow, how many companies would go belly up? I honestly don't know, but I'd say about 1/4-1/3 of the "private" sector would collapse because of it. Raytheon used to be a leader in early consumer electronics (TV's, radios, Radar Ranges - aka, the first microwaves). Now; the entirety of their business is government. Milipore, MITRE, Lockheed, Northrup Gruman, etc, etc... Money taken from taxpayers by the threat of violence, given to these companies, to create tools used to expand and maintain Empire.
I am not against using a 'military power' to maintain the defense of our country or to TRULY protect our business and trade interests internationally. That's why we were supposed to have it. But it's gone so far beyond that it's not even fucking funny anymore. Why are we in Germany? England? Japan? Spain? And so on. This is ridiculous.

People say that without funding these military innovations, we wouldn't have consumer innovations. Bull-fucking-shit. So the mind who thought of the exo-skeleton created by Raytheon wouldn't have changed around the function, turned the lifting capabilities inwards, and maybe develop a new way for paraplegics to become mobile again? When you change the focus of an idea, you change the outcome of that idea. You tote an AR-15 because you say it's to defend your home and family. The fuckwad in Newtown used one to massacre children. Different focus, different outcome.

I have respect for many of the soldiers who chose to serve in the military. I refuse to say all because in all groups, some people are cock sucking jizzbags. But I would much rather see their talents and minds used here, advancing society, than being used as cannon fodder in some far off land, advancing an agenda of whomever has deemed themselves "In Charge".
"For a safe and secure society".