Last week, in a Pentagon news conference, Secretary Leon Panetta indicated that the proposed $500 billion cuts in Pentagon spending would bring about serious national security consequences which he termed a “doomsday mechanism.”

The Washington Post, August 16, had a lead article: Great Falls Reflects Big Windfall – highlighting residents of Great Falls, VA.  A high proportion of them work for corporations reliant on military contracts. The median income of the area has increased by 32% in the last ten years.  Sixteen percent of this community of 15,000 earns more than $500,000 per year, with over half earning at least $250,000.

The juxtaposition of these two reports presents a possible source of savings in military spending, without serious national security consequences.