You Want FIRE PROTECTION? CUT THE FUCKING MILITARY BUDGET!!

[Panaconda]

Federal Budget Trade-Offs

Could your tax dollars be better spent? Select your state, town, county or congressional district and a program, and find out what else your tax dollars could provide.

So I selected:
Firefighters for one year.

And selected the program:
Total Iraq and Afghanistan War Spending from 2001 to FY 2010.

WHAT I FOUND OUT WAS:

For JUST OUR COUNTY we could've paid in full 5,980 Firefighters for One Year. Of course our county probably only needs a few hundred.

Try it yourself, tell me what you got:

http://www.nationalpriorities.org/tradeoffs

[Junkdrawer]

1. Agreed.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9260920

[Panaconda]

2. Quite accurate

A more systemic analysis brings us to your conclusion.

Seems more folks should be talking about that very thing.

[Junkdrawer]

3. Q: What's the opposite of Socialism?

A: 21st Century America. And guess what? The rest of the world is not lining up to follow our example this time.

[bherrera]

11. It's not so simple

We in Spain have a Socialist government, and we don't think the USA is our enemy. There are many good things about the USA, although it could improve its use of force overseas, which is a serious problem, and also have a better quality health delivery system. I know I like to criticize you guys, especially when I see the way you help the Israelis and the abuses and tortures of the US military, but I don't think you are the enemy. I am more worried about the emergence of the savage capitalism led by the so called communist party in China, or the terrible autocracies such as the one in North Korea and Cuba, or the theocracy in Iran.

[Mike Marble]

14. Yeah, I'm real worried about Cuba.

Now, where's that sarcasm thingie.

[Canuckistanian]

4. K&R

What are your priorities? Killing brown people or saving your own home?

[Starry Messenger]

5. k & r

California's tradeoffs are insane. I don't even like to dwell anymore on what we could have if we weren't draining ourselves in this war. But here it is for my little corner of the world:

Taxpayers in San Mateo County, California will pay $4.3 billion for total Iraq and Afghanistan war spending since 2001 through FY10. For the same amount of money, the following could have been provided:
1,274,736 People Receiving Low-Income Healthcare for One Year OR
4,059,706 Households with Renewable Electricity-Wind Power for One Year OR
45,963 Police or Sheriff's Patrol Officers for One Year OR
56,329 Firefighters for One Year OR
513,526 Scholarships for University Students for One Year OR
772,880 Students receiving Pell Grants of $5550 OR
2,264,776 Children Receiving Low-Income Healthcare for One Year OR
488,328 Head Start Slots for Children for One Year OR
1,522,390 Households with Renewable Electricity - Solar Photovoltaic for One Year OR
55,717 Elementary School Teachers for One Year OR
452,240 Military Veterans Receiving VA Medical Care for One Year

[mwrguy]

6. Bring them home, make them fight fires

and plant trees, pick up garbage, etc... until their contract is up.

The send them through rehab and let them go.

[Panaconda]

7. Good plan

I like it.

[Obamanaut]

8. Incumbents in congress obviously like to fund the various conflicts.

Don't reelect incumbents.

Start fresh with the House, and with one third of the Senate.

But that ain't gonna happen. We vote for 'the name you know', because he/she brings home goodies to our district.

[unhappycamper]

9. Don't you mean "he/she brings home goodies to our corporate masters"? n/t

[Obamanaut]

10. No, because those are the words I read right here on DU. Words to the

effect that 'we like our congressmember, because he's not like the others, and he brings money into the district.' Not an exact quote, or course, but the idea is there.

[TBF]

12. K&R nt

[blindpig]

13. k&r

[joeybee12]

15. KNR...and getting rid of those Bush tax breaks for the obscenely rich would help...n/t

[AuntPatsy]

16. One can not ignore such logic and sleep good at night...here's my k&r