The cost of war

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." President Dwight D. Eisenhower April 16, 1953

If you are interested in the cost of our actions in Iraq, visit http://www.costofwar.com/


Now even though you wouldn't like me when I'm angry, I can feel the inner economist in me getting out.

Spending on education, housing, welfare and foreign aid (non-military) never approaches defense spending. This has been true for a long time... way before jet fighters and tanks. Banks lend money because they get to mark up their assets (which they are lending, not selling) by over 300%. Governments spend the money on defense because it's the only thing we let them do. Businesses move into the defense market because it's the easiest way to make money disappear. Incidentally, we defended ourselves perfectly fine before the income tax.

Many a Libertarian and Republican would argue that the sole purpose of government is to defend from abroad and police within. They have latched onto the deep instinctual need for these services to justify their importance.
You could think of them as demagogues, leading the public by emotion. Concern, generosity and love come and go. Some people never feel them, while most citizens feel them fleetingly and fake it the rest of the time. Fear is always there and it always generates emotional responses.

Americans need to latch onto the one common desire amongst us. Greed. The only justification for supporting the government financially is domestic. If you don't think Americans should have free health care, free schools, or any free lunches, then stop paying taxes. If you think America should be well defended, buy a gun and defend it. Our nations' bankers stand behind the president as he sells us their loan. You don't have to say yes.