With the 2022 tax deadline behind us, let's see how our tax dollars are to be spent in 2023. Fifty percent of the $1.7 trillion “Discretionary Budget” will go to the Dept. of Defense and the other 21 departments/agencies must split the rest. For example:
Defense: $858 billion
Health and Human Services: $127 billion
Education: $88 billion
Justice: $38 billion
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Labor: $15 billion
U.S. Military spending will exceed the annual spending of the next 10 countries combined. With only 5% of the world’s population, U.S. taxpayers will pay for 50% of the total world’s military spending. This is unconscionable! Russia (adversary) spends 49 billion and ranks 8 in military spending.
The impact of military spending on vital needs are: The US ranks #1 in military spending but is the only industrial country in the world without universal healthcare and is currently ranked 37th in quality of health care. The privatized, for-profit health care system in the US is a disgrace. No resident in the US should be in a position, when needing medical care, to agonize if they can afford it or not! Nearly 45,000 Americans of working age die each year from lack of health insurance.
The US ranks #1 in the world in military spending but 32nd in the world in literacy, 31st in math, and 23rd in science…in all the industrialized countries in the world. The US ranks #1 in military spending but 17th in life expectancy and 29th in infant mortality.
It is a fact that by cutting military spending by $80 billion (10%) we could provide affordable housing, rebuild our educational system, provide free college tuition and meet our vital health care needs.
Patriotism is not just about military defense/weaponry. It is also about respect and love of country, its health, people, land, air and water and its future. Climate must be the issue – the priority.
The Trust Project
