From Nicholas Kristof's most recent column.
Our response to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and international terrorism has been remarkable, including an intelligence apparatus in which some 1.4 million people (including, until recently, Snowden) hold “top secret” clearances.That’s more than twice the population of the District of Columbia. The Washington Post has reported that since 9/11, the United States has built new intelligence complexes equivalent in office space to 22 United States Capitol buildings.All told, since 9/11, the United States has spent $8 trillion on the military and homeland security, according to the National Priorities Project, a research group that works for budget transparency. That’s nearly $70,000 per American household.
1 comment:
That is a lot of money. At a military budget of $680 billion or so, it mounts up.
In order to counter that, though, the administration proposed in the 2014 budget to cut Social Security benefits which is a gutsy move since 90% of Americans think it is a bad idea.
Military cuts are approved by 58% of Americans (interesting to study the defense budget as a percent of GDP: declined from 11.7% during the early 1950's, 8.9% during Viet Nam, 2.8% low in 1999, growing back to 4.6% at height of Iraq/Afghanistan during Obama's administration). The current proposed budget is a cut of 1.6%, according to the National Priorities Project.
Food stamps costs are rising at the rate of 135% over the last 4 years at $78 billion in 2012. One out of every seven Americans collect food stamps. Doesn't sound like there is much cutting going on in that sector, does there?
One of the major factors in the increase in food stamps cost is the cost of food, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Another is the increase in benefits from Obama's stimulus programs.
Despite the "increased cost of food," Social Security programs are cut by using another measure of inflation? There is nearly no official inflation right now!
Is that bizarre about the number of "top secret" clearances? Wonder what they can and do know that is dangerous to the rest of us??
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