While he's lecturing us about DOMESTIC spending, Bush’s occupation will cost us $720 million TODAY

[bigtree]

CHICAGO (The Washington Post) -- The money spent on one day of the Iraq war could buy homes for almost 6,500 families or health care for 423,529 children, or could outfit 1.27 million homes with renewable electricity, according to the American Friends Service Committee, which displayed those statistics on large banners in cities nationwide Thursday and Friday.

The war is costing $720 million a day or $500,000 a minute, according to the group’s analysis of the work of Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph E. Stiglitz and Harvard public finance lecturer Linda J. Bilmes.

The estimates made by the group, which opposes the conflict, include not only the immediate costs of war but also ongoing factors such as long-term health care for veterans, interest on debt and replacement of military hardware.

“The wounded are coming home, and many of them have severe brain and spinal injuries, which will require round-the-clock care for the rest of their lives,” said Michael McConnell, Great Lakes regional director of the AFSC, a peace group affiliated with the Quaker church.

The $720 million figure breaks down into $280 million a day from Iraq war supplementary funding bills passed by Congress, plus $440 million daily in incurred, but unpaid, long-term costs.

http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=153559

[daninthemoon]

1. Saw a commercial with romney complaining /warning again about

"democrat spending". Why doesn't anyone call bullshit every time they pull this crap. Republicans outspend dems by so much, there is no comparison. Can anyone say "federal deficit?"?

[AndyA]

2. We must get the Fairness Doctrine updated and reinstated.

That's the only way we stand a chance of getting the full, complete story.

Any legitimate, accurate news agency would point out the hypocrisy of Romney's statement at the same time it reports his statement.

Unfortunately, we do not have such legitimate news agencies in America today. We have Faux News and Faux Wannabes. :(

[bigtree]

3. 'now is not the time to be taking money out of (working peoples') pockets'

Bush says tax increase 'bad for the economy', wants stopgap spending bill
09.24.07, 11:32 AM ET

In a brief appearance this morning, he called on the Congress to pass a 'clean continuing resolution,' a stop-gap spending bill that would fund the federal government at current levels without making any policy changes.

Bush criticized plans now in Congress to add 22 bln usd to spending on child health care and pay for it with higher taxes, principally on tobacco.

When working people are struggling to pay their mortgages and meet other bills, 'now is not the time to be taking money out of their pocket,' he said.

The federal fiscal year comes to an end September 30 and Congress has yet to pass any of the 12 spending bills required to keep it operating. People should not be denied services 'because the Congress can't get its job done,' Bush said.

http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/afx/2007/09/24/afx4148843.html