Letter from washington
The Letter from Washington is a monthly update of events and issues affecting the US government. The purpose of the letter is to provide insight and context to the US political process, as it affects defense and homeland security appropriations, procurement policy and government decision-making.
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Past Issues of Letter from Washingon
November 24, 2011 Issue (PDF)
The Super Committee fires a blank; Deficit reduction vs National Security; The President positions himself for 2012; Third Party challenge coming?
October 11, 2011 Issue (PDF)
Deficit Reduction vs National Security; Another Continuing Resolution until November; Super Committee Report; The choice between merely crippling Defense reductions or irreparable harm; Republicans to the rescue? The 2012 field appears set; DoD strategic review
August 8, 2011 Issue (PDF)
The debt ceiling agreement is finally reached: what it does& what it does not; The outlook for DoD
July 26, 2011 Issue (PDF)
The debt ceiling debate; Defense in the crosshairs; America the Ungovernable?
June 12, 2011 Issue (PDF)
Depressing budget numbers for the President; Potential US debt default in August; Gates and Panetta; The coming defense rollback; Weiners and losers
April 29, 2011 Issue (PDF)
The government shutdown showdown; Next crisis: the debt ceiling; Leading from behind
March 14, 2011 Issue (PDF)
The Defense budget train wreck
January 24, 2011 Issue (PDF)
Obama hits the right note in Tucson; State of the Union message preview; Defense budget on the table
October 29, 2010 Issue (PDF)
Mid-term elections shaping up to be a Democrat debacle; What will shifting control of the House to the Republicans bring?
September 27, 2010 Issue (PDF)
Long term affordability the key to future weapons decisions; A Boeing-Northrop Grumman merger in the works? Little hope for export reform in the next two years; Obama continues to allow himself to be defined by the Republicans.
August 26, 2010 Issue (PDF)
The dog days of summer; Gates preempts the budget cutters; It’s the economy, stupid
July 26, 2010 Issue (PDF)
New lows in Presidential approval for Obama; Defense reductions on the horizon
June 24, 2010 Issue (PDF)
Fallout from the Gulf oil spill; A new commander in Afghanistan
May 18, 2010 Issue (PDF)
SecDef fires a broadside at the Navy...what is the real target?; Who is really in charge around here?
March 31, 2010 Issue (PDF)
The Tea Party Movement
February 1, 2010 Issue (PDF)
A stunning upset in Massachusetts; Health care reform on life support; The State of the Union address; The Administration sends its 2011 budget request to Congress
January 14, 2010 Issue (PDF)
Will somebody please connect the dots?; Economic issues come to the fore for 2010; Third party potential for 2012?
December 7, 2009 Issue (PDF)
The President goes to war...with his own party; The Navy ship building plan gets adjusted again; JSF cost issues
November 10, 2009 Issue (PDF)
Off-year elections favor the Republicans; Good economic news not reflected in the unemployment data; OSD completing FY 2011 program instructions for the services; Programmatic survival in a zero-growth environment
October 16, 2009 Issue (PDF)
The Obamas make an Olympic-sized mistake; Health care reform approaches the end-game; The Afghanistan strategy review — healthy debate or dangerous equivocation?
September 23, 2009 Issue (PDF)
Things keep getting in the way of the health care debate; The public is largely not buying what the administration is selling; Health care vs defense in the out years
August 13, 2009 Issue (PDF)
The health care debate: lots of heat but not much light; An additional US$60B to be squeezed out of existing DoD programs; R&D vs procurement: the changing ratio
July 8, 2009 Issue (PDF)
The crises just keep on coming; FY 2010 Defense Appropriation looks like a done deal; The Republicans self-destruct
May 18, 2009 Issue (PDF)
FY-10 and the 09 supplemental submitted; Gates emerges as the most influential defense player in the cabinet; The Speaker vs the CIA
April 15, 2009 Issue (PDF)
SECDEF Gates proposes massive restructuring of the defense portfolio to uniformly negative reviews from the Congress; Will the President join the battle or will he be too distracted?
February 16, 2009 Issue (PDF)
Congress passes a US$782B stimulus package; Team Obama takes the field; FY-11 will be a difficult year
December 9, 2008 Issue (PDF)
We only have one President at a time…who is it?; Obama moves quickly to name his financial and national security teams; Congress takes the first $15B step in nationalizing the US auto industry
November 11, 2008 Issue (PDF)
Obama wins convincingly, but can he set the agenda for the Democrats; Republicans form up the circular firing squad; Defense and Aerospace outlook in a new administration
October 27, 2008 Issue (PDF)
McCain and Obama at the end of the trail; Polls point toward a substantial Obama and Congressional Democrat win; OSD proposes large increases in FY-10 and the FYDP
September 24, 2008 Issue (PDF)
The Palin phenomenon; Continuing Resolution likely; The financial crisis
August 25, 2008 Issue (PDF)
Obama and McCain approach their nominating conventions; Obama chooses a Washington insider for VP; The tanker controversy may derail the Defense Appropriations Bill until the next administration.
June 18, 2008 Issue (PDF)
Clinton finally bows out ... sort of; Gates cleans house in the Air Force; Exchange rate and fuel prices robbing DoD of any FY08 flexibility
May 28, 2008 Issue (PDF)
Clinton and Obama each claim the other can't win; Senate passes defense supplemental with US$28B in non-defense spending
May 12, 2008 Issue (PDF)
Clinton and Obama race goes on and on; Defense supplemental takes shape
April 23, 2008 Issue (PDF)
Democratic primary enters crazy stage; Defense Supplemental goes down familiar path
April 7, 2008 Issue (PDF)
Clinton and Obama approach the end game; Earmarks 101
February 25, 2008 Issue (PDF)
New York Times vs McCain; Clinton and Obama enter the home stretch; Nader joins the race; Service roles and missions review
February 11, 2008 Issue (PDF)
Obama and McCain post impressive victories; Romney joins Edwards on the sidelines; Money becomes critical for Clinton
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