Elizabeth Dole advocates for unchecked military spending while ignoring the real needs of our country’s troops and their families.

In an editorial this week in the Washington Times, Dole dusts off her proposal to spend 4 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product on the military. That’s more than $560 billion.

America already spends more than 4 percent of the GDP on defense, including war costs.

American taxpayers already burdened with higher gas and food prices are spending more money on defense than any other time since World War II.

A real plan for America’s security includes spending money on the right things, on real threats and protecting our security.

Dole and other Bush Republicans have already spent too much money on a war that has made us less safe while doing little to defeat the terrorists in Afghanistan and Pakistan who attacked us on Sept 11.

Republicans have been unwilling to invest in port security, securing chemical plants or meeting other priorities identified by the 9/11 Commission.

Instead of trying to win points with defense hawks with silly and arbitrary political shortcuts, Elizabeth Dole should pay attention to the nation’s actual security needs.

Here is Dole’s voting record on military spending:

Dole Twice Voted Against Funding for Armored Vehicles. In October 2005, Dole joined the majority of her Republican colleagues and voted against an amendment to the Defense Appropriations for $360.8 million to provide armored vehicles to American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. In April, Dole voted against an amendment offered by Senator Kennedy which would provide an addition $213 million to ensure that Humvee production remained at its maximum level through the fiscal year. The amendment passed 61-39 [Vote 248, 10/5/05; Vote 108, 4/21/05]

Dole Opposed Funding For Equipment And Armor For Troops. In late 2003, Dole voted against providing an additional $322 million for safety equipment for troops in Iraq. Earlier that year, Dole voted against providing an additional $1.047 billion for procurement of National Guard and Reserve equipment. According to Mary Landrieu, the bill’s sponsor, much of the money would have been used for protective gear for Guard and Reserve troops. [Vote 376, 10/2/03; Vote 116, 4/2/03]

Dole Voted Against $50 Million to Repair Military Equipment. In February, Dole voted against instructing conferees on the tax reconciliation bill to including funding to strengthen the military instead of extending capital gains and dividends tax cuts for the wealthy. Sen. Reed, who sponsored the motion, asked that $50 million be spent to repair military equipment, arguing, “Because they depend upon this equipment for their lives, we can't tolerate equipment that won't operate properly.” [Vote 18, 2/14/06; Congressional Record, 2/13/06]

Dole Voted Against Funding for Military Equipment Repairs. In February 2006, Dole voted to kill a proposal to provide $44 billion to improve and repair military equipment. According to sponsor Sen. Jack Reed, “$47 billion worth of equipment which they have used in Iraq and Afghanistan needs to be repaired and reconditioned.” The funding would have been offset by repealing capital gains and dividends tax cuts, while extending protections for middle-class taxpayers. [Vote 8, 2/2/06; Congressional Record, 2/2/06]