From Warresisters.org: The "actual" federal budget pie chart.
HOW THESE FIGURES WERE DETERMINED
Current military” includes Dept. of Defense ($653 billion), the military portion from other departments ($150 billion), and an additional $162 billion to supplement the Budget’s misleading and vast underestimate of only $38 billion for the “war on terror.” “Past military” represents veterans’ benefits plus 80% of the interest on the debt.
Altogether, we spend over $1-trillion a year on defense.
You want to know the true cost of war? Visit the "Cost of War" icon in my sidebar. Drill down to see how much it costs your family. Oh, and here's the kicker... it's ALL borrowed money. If that doesn't piss you off, nothing will.
You want to know the true cost of war? Visit the "Cost of War" icon in my sidebar. Drill down to see how much it costs your family. Oh, and here's the kicker... it's ALL borrowed money. If that doesn't piss you off, nothing will.
How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
Yes, 'n' how many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, 'n' how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
How many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea?
Yes, 'n' how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
Yes, 'n' how many times can a man turn his head
Pretending he just doesn't see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
Before you call him a man?
Yes, 'n' how many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, 'n' how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
How many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea?
Yes, 'n' how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
Yes, 'n' how many times can a man turn his head
Pretending he just doesn't see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
See this makes as much sense to me as the City of Detroit's proposed budget for next year. They expect revenues from all sources to be 750,000,000 dollars and the budget proposed yesterday by the mayor was 3.2 billion. How does that add up?
ReplyDeleteThose guys are living in the twilight zone. They haven't figured out that Detroit is no longer a major city but one the size of say, Charlotte.
ReplyDeleteWell, we are always going to have an oversized wide load for the military as long as we get into these asshat conflicts, outstay our welcome and claim that we represent moral order while senators have sex with minors and house representatives snort the poppy stuff. Oh, and all those massacres--the military needs more money to cover all that shit up.
ReplyDeleteNone of that bloated budget actually goes to soldiers, you know. When they come back all messed up from the joys of military life, they have to wait 6 months to a year for one visit with a counselor. Who's getting fat on these funds? Angry ordinary citizen wants to know.
Susan.. the answer is blowing in the wind.
ReplyDeleteAnother problem is that the military corporations have spread factories throughout the country, in important congressional districts, in an attempt to make any cuts in the defense budget a matter of losing jobs.
ReplyDeleteA deeper issue with me is the general attitude of many that all you need to do to solve just about any global problem is launch a few cruise missiles or send in a Marine brigade. It shows a deep and dangerous ignorance of the world.
BB... spot on. The whole economic thing surrounding the military will make it nearly impossible to change the system. We have to do it a piece at a time. As much as I dislike it, we come by military force honestly as throughout the nation's history we've been sucked into one war after another as a way of solving problems. I hesitate to say that it actually seems like we're coming to realize that force is more of a problem than a solution.
ReplyDelete"You don't need a weatherman to know which the wind blows."
ReplyDeleteYou're right. That pissed me off. Me, a gal who depends on a military retirement pension for my bread and butter. That's sometimes hard for folks to fathom--that a USAF officer's family could be progressive and ready to see the DOD shrunk to a manageable and appropriate size--but there it is. Call it experience.
ReplyDeleteAnd tell me WHY aren't we hearing the clamor to bring the boys and girls home right now? Mutters, but no clamoring. What the hell is that?