Wasting Money And Lives

Have you wondered why other developed nations are able to provide their citizens with a decent level of food, housing, clothing, and medical care, but the United States seems to be incapable of doing that? In fact, instead of trying to do more for hurting Americans, our government is currently in the process of doing even less by severely slashing social programs.

Republicans would like for us to believe it is because we don't have the money. That is a lie. We are still one of the richest nations in the world. The problem is not that we don't have enough money to take care of our own citizens. The problem lies in what our leaders choose to spend our money on. The following 12 things should give you a big clue as to why we don't have the money to help our own citizens (from the blog What Would Jack Do?).

1. America spends more on its military than THE NEXT 15 COUNTRIES COMBINED
2. In 2007, the amount of money labeled ‘wasted’ or ‘lost’ in Iraq — $11 billion — could pay 220,000 teachers salaries
3. America’s defense spending doubled in the same period that its economy shrunk from 32 to 23 percent of global output
4. The yearly cost of stationing one soldier in Iraq could feed 60 American families
5. The total known land area occupied by U.S. bases and facilities is 15,654 square miles — bigger than D.C., Massachusetts, and New Jersey combined
6. Each day in Afghanistan costs the government more than it did to build the entire Pentagon
7. In 2008, the Pentagon spent more money every five seconds in Iraq than the average American earned in a year
8. The pentagon budget consumes 80% of individual income tax revenue
9. Two decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Defense Department still has more than 40 generals, admirals or civilian equivalents based in Europe
10. The amount the government has spent compensating radiation victims of nuclear testing ($1.5 billion) could fully educate 13,000 American kids
11. The Pentagon spends more on war than all 50 states combined spend on health, education, welfare, and safety
12. The U.S. has 5% of the world’s population — but almost 50% of the world’s total military expenditure

And not every American thinks we should be spending so much to act as the world's policeman. In a survey done for The Hill, most Americans believe we are sending our soldiers to fight in too many places these days, and that it really doesn't help to insure the security of this country. Here is what that poll shows:

THE U.S. IS FIGHTING IN TOO MANY PLACES & SHOULD PULL BACK ITS TROOPS
Yes...............72%
No...............16%
Unsure...............12%

U.S. TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN ARE MAKING THIS COUNTRY SAFER
Has no impact...............37%
Makes us safer...............36%
Makes us less safe...............17%

U.S. TROOPS IN IRAQ ARE MAKING THIS COUNTRY SAFER
Has no impact...............40%
Makes us safer...............32%
Makes us less safe...............20%

The truth is that the United States is spending far too much of its budget on the military and fighting too many wars -- wars that really do not contribute to the safety and security of American citizens. It is time to end these wars and bring our troops home -- now, not in 2014. It is also time to drastically slash the military budget. It could be cut in half, and it would still be larger than that of any other country.