Discussion for article #233692
HeadlineFix:
We Spend Trillions On Democracy-Building Abroad.
If RWNJ Pols Weren’t So Intransigent We Could Have Nice Things Here At Home Too.
jw1
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The $1.2 Trillion Trap: What America Gave Up For 10 Years Of War Since 9/11
– Provide 63.3 Million Scholarships For University Students Every Year For Ten Years
– Give 58.9 Million Children Low-Income Health Care Every Year For Ten Years
– Give 23.6 Million People Access To Low-Income Healthcare Every Year For Ten Years
– Provide 20.68 Million Students With Pell Grants Worth $5,500 Every Year For Ten Years
– Provide 15.12 Million Head Start Slots For Children Every Year For Ten Years
– Provide Veterans Administration Care For 14.7 Million Military Veterans Every Year For Ten Years
– Hire 2.01 Million Firefighters Every Year For Ten Years
– Hire 1.76 Million Elementary School Teachers Every Year For Ten Years
– Hire 1.73 Million Police Officers Every Year For Ten Years
– Retrofit 69.4 Million Households For Wind Power Every Year For Ten Years
– Retrofit 26 Million Households For Solar Photovoltaic Energy Every Year For Ten Years
The total costs of the wars have gone up since.
Related:The $2.5 Trillion Tragedy: What America Has Given Up For 10 Years Of Bush Tax Cuts
I’m a big fan of NASA. We could have put a dozen rovers on a dozen planets/moons/asteroids each and still had 80% of the 9/11 wars appropriations. A smarter strategy (like our current coalition + local forces method) would have kept us from costly occupations. The Bush Tax Cuts are about 2/3 the cost of fixing a generation of infrastructure neglect (3.6T by 2020). Unlike tax cuts, the infrastructure spending would have paid for itself:
https://www.economy.com/dismal/graphs/blog/MZ_110211_1t.gif
This is the lost opportunity from uncontested GOP rule from 2000-2007.
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If only.
But the right wing would criticize it as big government interference, or picking winners and losers
They always do. When dems proved them wrong 80 years ago, they had to make it from the wilderness for a couple generations.
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And of course, most of that money went to American contractors with ties to Congress. More redistribution from the bottom to the top.
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Is this a bad time to remind everyone that 28 Senators (D) voted for the Iraq War?
No, never.
But note that Sec Kerry-- one of the 28-- has not only admitted it was a mistake.
He’s come full circle recently-- in his full-throated condemnation of PM Netanyahu’s enthusiasm for that war-- and future conflicts for political and financial gain.
jw1
4 Likes
Right On, Mr. President!
1 Like