More, More, More

$698 billion dollars is a lot of money. Apparently is is not enough for some on the right who would like to pour more down the rat hole called defense. Before conservatives start their rant about the importance of defense, it should be stated here that there is agreed upon justification for the needs of some defense spending. Having said that, somewhere between the positions and argument of a Ron Paul, at one extreme, and a Rick Santorum or Newt Gingrich, at the other extreme, there is a point where the physical security can meet the fiscal security. There is an important point that needs to be made. The security of the United States is far more than protection from a military invasion from another country. There is a need for fiscal security where by the financial strength of the country is protected. There is the security for the health of American citizens where each individual has access to health care at affordable costs to the individual as well as the country as a whole. There is the security that comes from an educated citizenry. The reality that knowledge is power is more than a cliché. Knowledge is required of those we choose to make vital decisions that affect our lives and even more important, knowledge is necessary on the part of those of us who select those leaders. The lack of knowledge will subject American citizens to propagandists who have only their interests, not the interests of all Americans, as their goals. There also is security in protecting the health and welfare of the poor, the young, and the weakest among us. If one looks around the world, many threats to a country’s security originated with the lower classes. This country began as a result of those at the bottom revolting against the powers of those at the top. The anniversary of the Arab spring should be sufficient proof that revolutions against economic repression did not end in 1776. The United States will spend 698 billion dollars for defense. That is 24.8% of the total budget and represents 5.8% of the entire GDP. The United States will spend more for defense than the other top 14 countries combined! Osama bin Laden, shortly after 9/11 confessed that al Qaeda could never defeat the United States militarily. He went on to say that there was another way to defeat what he called “The Great Satan”. He said that for every dollar al Qaeda would spend the US would spend a thousand. The final battle in his mind would be one of economics. Al Qaeda would spend a million dollars and force the United States to spend a trillion dollars. America’s use of its credit card will be far more destructive than the road-side bombs planted by al Qaeda. The time has come to direct resources inward. America needs to educate the children, provide for the health of all citizens, and repair and rebuild the American infrastructure. The time has come to focus on how to help our citizens lead a better life and spend far, far less on how to find better ways to kill people.