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Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018: Defense Hawks vs. Deficit Hawks
By August Cole and Matt Vallone
The signing of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 last month ended nearly a decade of fiscal austerity, with the aerospace and defense sectors now expecting a run-up in defense outlays during the coming years. Defense hawks as well as Democrats now have a new baseline for budgeting during this new phase, which will likely prompt further increases in 2020 and 2021 . Yet austerity politics always seem to return, and they almost assuredly will again, as defense spending remains enduringly cyclical. August Cole spoke to Matt Vallone, Director of Research & Analysis at Avascent Analytics, to examine the state of play in the wake of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, and to get some historical insight into how long this present cycle might last.
ABOUT THE PRESENTERS
August Cole is the writer-in-residence at Avascent. He is the co-author of Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War and the editor of the Atlantic Council’s War Stories from the Future anthology. For more information, contact acole@avascent.com.
Matt Vallone, Director of Research & Analysis at Avascent Analytics, is responsible for the team of analysts that maintain and update Avascent’s Global Platforms and Systems database. In addition, Matt serves as Avascent’s primary expert on Congressional activity and the appropriations process, writing a weekly report on Congressional action. Prior to working for Avascent, Matt served as legislative director for Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter in the U.S. House of Representatives. For more information, contact: mvallone@avascent.com.
Avascent On The Record is an audio news podcast that examines issues and trends in government-driven markets. Programs range from discussions on aviation, defense systems, space and satellite communications, healthcare, and more. Podcasts will be released every few weeks. Browse our podcast archive here.