Defense cuts on horizon as fiscal cliff looms

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - The looming fiscal cliff could mean another round of defense cuts.

President Barack Obama is proposing a round of cuts to military spending, but House Republicans are proposing even more, which could eventually have an impact on Massachusetts.

The proposal offered by House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) includes cuts of $300 billion, which would amount to savings of more than $2 trillion in 10 years. The cuts would be to discretionary spending, which includes the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department.

Residents of western Massachusetts and elsewhere have strong opinions on what should, and shouldn’t be cut.

“I think they have a lot of money in the Military, but they have money elsewhere that they could use to make it even,” Dorothy St. Amour of Springfield said.

“I don't believe that cutting the Military would be a prudent idea.  I've been in the Military myself.  I'm retired Air Force,” Eric Sage of Springfield said.  “We need to keep up to pace with other countries with our technology, so I think it's a very bad idea to cut Military.”

Defense spending has doubled in the last decade from $297 billion in 2001 to $520 billion now. This doesn't include the money spent on the wars in Afghanistan or Iraq.