The Hill News

Most debates in Washington have battle lines that are predictable and largely unmoving. Certainly this is true of most of the budget battles, which often seem the political equivalent of trench warfareâ€"lots of fighting, but the lines don’t move and little gets done. 

There are, however, subjects where bipartisan agreement can emerge. Things get done when members put country over partisanship and assess programs with a more objective cost-benefit analysis and set aside ideological rigidity. The ability to do so should be a litmus test for voters.

America’s nuclear weapons budget is a perfect case in point. A growing consensus has emerged that we should reduce spending on redundant nuclear programs that are hugely expensive, add little or nothing to our defense capabilities, and siphon money away from our troops and more important national security priorities.

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