Shorter Military-Industrial Complex: "Let's Go Buy Us Some More Congressmen!"

Because if money equals speech, then the companies that live off the government's cash spigot have got lots to say.

Top U.S. government contractors are ramping up their political giving before the congressional elections, seeking protection from sales-sapping budget cuts.

The 10 biggest contractors, including Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman Corp, boosted political action committee contributions by 29 percent in advance of the 2014 midterm congressional elections compared with 2012, according to Federal Election Commission filings compiled by Bloomberg.

But cuts have to be made somewhere, so if the big boys manage to buy the congressmen they need to protect their projects, then the cuts will go more towards traditional moves which hollow-out the armed forces: Cuts to pay and benefits, cuts to readiness and training, cuts to recruiting.

But oh, you know that LockMart and their ilk won't be bothered if their products go either straight to the boneyard or just sit at the bases, slowly corroding away. Because they'll have already made their money.