US military budget and how to pay for health care

[mawilson 2,133]

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated the cost of the healthcare reform proposal at

$1 trillion over 10 years - or $100 billion a year.

During FY 2008, the US government spent nearly $800 billion on defense and homeland security,

approximately 32% of tax collections of $2.5 trillion:

Department of Defense: $741 billion

Homeland Security: $52 billion

(pdf link)

The fiscal year 2009 total DoD budget is $687 billion, which includes the war supplement of $144 billion.

How about reducing the DoD spending from $687 billion to... $587 billion and using the $100 billion

thus saved to fund universal health care?

Why have we all rolled over and accepted the conclusion that the military budget is sacrosanct and

cannot be reduced?

Thoughts?

[The Dude 206]

I think the easiest cut would be that $144 billion.....

[mawilson 2,133]

I think the easiest cut would be that $144 billion.....

The cut has to come from the budget itself, not from the supplement - war costs are not budgeted.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Hey, what can I tell you? I like the idea, being the peacenik I am.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

The Yellow Dog Democrats are all pussies anyways. Might as well give the troops the next year and a half off.

Edited August 6, 2009 by Mister_Bill

[luckytxn 2,264]

How about we bring all troops that are worldwide home now and that savings alone would more than fund Socialist programs and pay down the debt.

[The Dude 206]

How about we bring all troops that are worldwide home now and that savings alone would more than fund Socialist programs and pay down the debt.

You've got like 3 brain cells fighting over the same thought.......

[mendeleev 68]

I wonder if at the reduced level we'd still be paying as much to power our war machine as the rest of the world combined.

[mawilson 2,133]

I wonder if at the reduced level we'd still be paying as much to power our war machine as the rest of the world combined.

Definitely - no worries there. $100 billion won't make or break our military.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Screw healthcare. We need more weapons so we can invade Iran and North Korea. Obama needs to start 2 wars in order to catch up with Bush. Three if you include Bush senior.

[mawilson 2,133]

Screw healthcare. We need more weapons so we can invade Iran and North Korea. Obama needs to start 2 wars in order to catch up with Bush. Three if you include Bush senior.

Iran - fine, they've got oil (not much, mind you.)

But North Korea? What do they have that we want or need?

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Screw healthcare. We need more weapons so we can invade Iran and North Korea. Obama needs to start 2 wars in order to catch up with Bush. Three if you include Bush senior.

Iran - fine, they've got oil (not much, mind you.)

But North Korea? What do they have that we want or need?

They don't have anything we need or want. But Kim Jong Il makes Saddam Hussein look like a choir boy. Don't the N. Korean's deserve to be free like the Iraqis?

[mawilson 2,133]

Don't the N. Korean's deserve to be free like the Iraqis?

No. They've got nothing we want.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Don't the N. Korean's deserve to be free like the Iraqis?

No. They've got nothing we want.

Don't they have rice?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Don't the N. Korean's deserve to be free like the Iraqis?

No. They've got nothing we want.

Don't they have rice?

Rice with rocks in it dude! Didn't you watch the news?