Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes … known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few.… No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.

— James Madison, Political Observations, 1795

President Bush yesterday VETOED a measure to fund education, job training and health programs (his sixth presidential veto, so far), BUT signed a separate bill that gives the Pentagon US$ 460 billion for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1. This  $460 billion Pentagon budget for FY 2008 represents a 10% increase from the FY2007 budget and DOES NOT include the $196 billion dollars that Mr. Bush needs for the continuing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, putting the grand total military spending for the current fiscal year of 2008 at around $ 660 billion. Certainly a very good use for your hard-earned tax dollars.

Bellow a little graph that uses the White House’s Office of Management and Budget data to show the history of the national debt as percentage of GDP.


from ZFacts.com - Source: 2006 White House OMB

The relationship between out-of-control military spending and the national deficit is obvious. Another contributor to the increasing national deficit are tax cuts for the wealthiest 5% of Americans. The American tax system is now so highly regressive that the third richest man on earth, Warren Buffett, pays 17.7% income tax on yearly earnings. The average American pays around 30%.

Why do Republican’s that call themselves fiscally conservative end up increasing the national debt? They would like to kill Social Security by forcing the government to borrow from Social Security funds to finance servicing the ever-increasing national debt.

OK. But why would Republicans want to kill Social Security? They’d like to prove their mantra that government does not work and things should be left for the "markets". It’s all a shell game.