re: Shrink the military? Can right and left agree on this?

Remember, we didn't always have such peaceful neighbors to the north and south. A strong navy and no army does a fat load of good when countries (or more likely, groups within countries) with which you share contiguous, largely undefended borders can cross at the drop of a hat, unmolested.

You have to have that backup at the ready along with a strong, well-armed populous.