Absurd US Defense Spending Put In Context w/Graph (unemployment, Congress, enemies)

[padcrasher]

Great visual of US Defense spending in comparison to other Nations.


US partners in Western Europe alone spend 50% more than China/Russia combined.

Matthew Yglesias » US Defense Spending In Context

We cannot afford this. Military spending should be cut by 25% at the least.

[pghquest]

Originally Posted by padcrasher

Great visual of US Defense spending in comparison to other Nations.


US partners in Western Europe alone spend 50% more than China/Russia combined.

Matthew Yglesias » US Defense Spending In Context

We cannot afford this. Military spending should be cut by 25% at the least.

These figures I'm assuming do include the fact that we are fighting 2 wars, and no other country is doing so. btw, lets compare this spending to social spending, since your saying we cant afford this, I'm assuming you'll then support cuts in social spending which is even more.

[Bostonian123]

Slightly misleading chart. It needs to take into account the PPP of the country especially in the case of China. The $70 or so billion USD that China is spending goes a lot further then it does it the US.

[Yeledaf]

I find this chart more frightening --- the numbers on the left represent % of GDP...

[thefinalsay]

so you want to have another 1,000,000 people on unemployment?

Originally Posted by padcrasher

Great visual of US Defense spending in comparison to other Nations.


US partners in Western Europe alone spend 50% more than China/Russia combined.

Matthew Yglesias » US Defense Spending In Context

We cannot afford this. Military spending should be cut by 25% at the least.

[mhouse2001]

A country that spends so much on war cannot proclaim that its intentions are peaceful. We are a country that loves (thrives, lusts, drools, get me a thesaurus!) on W-A-R and its profitable benefits. "It's good for business!" The ONLY motivation for supporting spending on a military is FEAR. It's the overhead anvil that forces most of us to accept that large amount being robbed from our weekly paychecks without a fight. It's so obvious militaries (aka the corporations and the elite) create enemies for profit. They use war to thin out the herd and weed out all the weak (aka peaceful) people. Obviously, I'm a butter before guns kind of guy.

You cannot get rid of your enemies by killing them. You can only get rid of your enemies by LOVING them.
(So much cheaper, too!)

[padcrasher]

Originally Posted by thefinalsay

so you want to have another 1,000,000 people on unemployment?

If you are worried about jobs them by all means use the money for research and development of renewable energy sources and infrascture projects within the US.

[padcrasher]

Originally Posted by pghquest

These figures I'm assuming do include the fact that we are fighting 2 wars, and no other country is doing so. btw, lets compare this spending to social spending, since your saying we cant afford this, I'm assuming you'll then support cuts in social spending which is even more.

No I'm not supporting cuts in social programs. I'm wanting the Defense budget cuts to go towards decreasing deficit spending. ie debt service

There is nothing hypocritcal about it.

[mississauga75]

Originally Posted by Bostonian123

Slightly misleading chart. It needs to take into account the PPP of the country especially in the case of China. The $70 or so billion USD that China is spending goes a lot further then it does it the US.

Astute point

I got this from Wikipedia and is seems reasonable
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...es_by_GDP_(PPP)

"In 2009, the US Department of Defense's annual report to Congress on China's military strength offered several estimates of actual 2008 Chinese military spending. In terms of the prevailing exchange rate, Pentagon estimates range between US$105 and US$150 billion,the second highest in the world after the US."

It is still a huge contrast.

[Frankie117]

Originally Posted by padcrasher

If you are worried about jobs them by all means use the money for research and development of renewable energy sources and infrascture projects within the US.

Ahem, where do you think most new technology comes from? Where do you think the original development for nuclear and wind power comes from? What about biofuels? What is the largest R&D department run by the US? Where did most civil engineering standards originate?

FYI, American soldiers are paid (+ benefits) a hell of a lot more than those of other countries, especially China. Plus, it costs a lot more to manufacture a tank/weapons in the US than through cheap Chinese labor.

That does not even include the fact that we are currently involved with two occupations and sustain multiple peacekeeping operations.

For comparison, why not add up all of the bailout/stimulus money and see how much it amounts to . At least through the military there are respectable jobs and training for jobs that translates to the civilian labor workforce.. How many stimulus projects provide stable, sustainable careers?