Let me be clear: There is nothing more important to myself or this great nation than supporting the men and women who make up our armed forces.

So that's why I'm supporting a 1 percent military pay raise instead of the extravagant 1.8 percent you were going to get.

Now, I support the troops unequivocally. I even show it, like buying girl scout cookies, and I had my secretary put one of those purple ribbons on her car. But we have to be realistic. A 1.8 percent pay raise would bankrupt our country. We just can't afford these exorbitant salaries any more.