One of the finest documentaries of the last 10 years is Why We Fight, which details the rise of the military-industrial establishment.
Here's an example of how the system has Congress by the nards:
Lawmakers defy veto threat on F-22 fighter
Congress on Thursday moved forward with plans to build more Lockheed Martin F-22 fighter jets, disregarding a veto threat from the Obama administration.
Lawmakers also moved to authorize the funding for an alternative engine for the Joint Strike Fighter F-35.
Congress is setting the stage for a showdown over the 2010 defense authorization bill with the administration and in particular Defense Secretary Robert Gates, as the Office of Management and Budget issued a statement outlining the veto threat Wednesday over both issues.
More F-22 Raptors are unnecessary -- and not one of them has been used in Iraq. Oh, and each one costs $135 million. But Congress is willing to go to battle with the president to keep making them. Between Lockheed-Martin and Boeing, my hunch is there are quite a few members of Congress who depend upon the complex.