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Departments War Cost of war is budgetary "Elephant in the Room" The cost of the Iraq and Afghan wars is the budgetary "elephant in the room." It's enormous and it's right in front of us, yet we don't talk about it as we face our economic woes. We don't need to get into arguments about the wars to consider the burden war places on our economy. President Dwight Eisenhower, one of our nation's greatest military leaders, late in life, expressed deep concern about what he called "the military industrial complex." Eisenhower stated, "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." During World War II, people were told that the war would require blood, toil, tears, and sweat -- real sacrifice, not just for soldiers overseas, but also for the people back home. In contrast, for the current Iraq and Afghan wars, people were told they wouldn't have to sacrifice at all; taxes would be cut, not raised. President Bush told people after 9/11 that the patriotic thing to do was to "go shopping." Perhaps that was due to delusional ideology, or perhaps it was a trigger-happy leader who recognized that if people understood the true cost, the war would be unjustifiable. What this means for Minnesota's economy is clear. In addition to the incredible sacrifices made by so many military families, Minnesota's share of the cost of the wars now exceeds $5 billion for every two-year state budget cycle. Think of the investments that could be made in our communities if the federal government invested that money in the states instead of in the war. We could have avoided the layoffs of teachers and police and firefighters and health care workers. Think of the investments in living wage jobs, the investments in nursing homes for seniors, the investments in early childhood and helping at-risk kids succeed, the investments in public infrastructure. Minnesotans working to build a better future face growing setbacks: Young people on the "six year plan" to get a two year college degree because they work two jobs to pay tuition. Parents struggle to find a safe place for their young kids during the workday because of cuts in sliding-fee child care. Employers unable to hire older workers because their pre-existing conditions would send the employer's insurance premiums through the roof. People with disabilities face shrinking state programs that once covered them. Those setbacks occur because states are unable to help people get a fair shake due to budget problems. It is time to press Washington to change its priorities away from war and into facing human needs in our communities. The military budgets of all other nations of the world combined, barely exceeds the $693 billion the U.S. will spend on the military this year. And the $693 billion doesn't include the $42 billion for Homeland Security, nor the undisclosed budget for the National Intelligence Program. Based on population, Minnesota's share of total military spending, including the two wars, is almost $12 billion every year. That's two-thirds as large as our entire state general fund budget of roughly $17 billion/year. Imagine what we could accomplish if we cut our military spending by half. The savings would balance the state budget and make huge investments in education and community development. President Eisenhower said, "I hate war, as only a soldier who has lived it can, as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity." He was clear in his message: "This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hope of its children." Sixty years later, we can see that the endless war has a real cost here at home. For the first time in our history, we are losing ground: High school students today have a lower graduation rate than their parents' generation. Fewer young adults have access to health care than their parents have. Today's workers will be less likely to have a decent pension than their parents enjoy. Eisenhower warned us. In spending money on war, we are truly taking away the hope of our children. If we care about our future, ignoring the economic cost of war is just as foolish as ignoring the human cost. ___________________________________________________________________________ Senator John Marty is a Democratic Candidate for Governor in Minnesota. Please visit his website at John Marty After Downing Street |
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Believe in violence and be saved Be the peace you want to see on Earth Whitewashing defeat: Obama's indecisiveness defines his presidency Pearl Harbor: A successful war lie A hollow bomber jacket WikiLeaks: Demystifying “Diplomacy” "Die for a Tie" -- How the Korean War began U.S. wars are bankrupting the world Peddling war to children Open letter to Congress on Veteran's Day 2010 One place to cut spending: Kidnapping and torture Deaths revealed by Wikileaks are tip of an iceberg Creating a new courage Then they came for me Poll: Most Americans Don't Want War with Iran The criminality of nuclear deterrence today: International law as anchoring ground The Nazi virus Farewell to arms: Jenny, Iraq and the next war Drone warfare on trial Petrodollar warfare: Dollars, euros and the upcoming Iranian oil bourse The book the Pentagon burned U.S. Vietnam Veteran returns to his war Obama-Men: Innocents Abroad; Politicos at Home Inspector General criticism doesn't faze FBI raids on midwestern anti-war activists The war is lost: Another perspective on the Afghanistan war Holy war The indefensible drones: A ground zero reflection Implications of a pointless war A speech for endless war Let's fact check the AP's fact checking on Obama's speech Veterans for Peace President Mike Ferner responds to President Obama's rebranded occupation of Iraq Peace movement pushes for end to war on Iraq Blackwater vs. Pinkwater: The wife of Erik Prince picks a fight with CODEPINK Last of the combat troops leaving Iraq? – Only in your dreams Gen. Petraeus goes to media war The next war State of denial: After the big Leak, spinning for war The crematorium of empires The war drones on The peace movement's progress Unanimous conformity in the Senate Senator Carl Levin Fiddling With War While Detroit Burns Obama Misses the Afghan Exit Ramp From great man to great screwup: Behind the McChrystal uproar Obama and Insubordination: Is He Truman or Mr. Milquetoast? The wonders of the American way of war The one thing we can agree on is peace Stopping Orwell's nightmare Fear, war, greed, disaster, and journalism The learning curve of peace Karazai’s Washington visit: the war awaiting Kandahar McChrystal: Beheadings of our allies simply to be expected Obama scraps Iraq withdrawal Dear Fiscal Conservative War Supporter Ending wars: The Flexible waiverable timetable approach I won't vote for you if you vote to escalate war You say you want a revolution... Globalization and the US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq The world still can't wait, says activist against US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq Reflections on an anniversary Antiwar activity sees surge for 7th anniversary of Iraq War invasion Rachel Corrie: Justice delayed is justice denied War in a box Cost of war is budgetary "Elephant in the Room" War politics: numb and number Blocking war funding just got easier Don't call it a Read War Articles by Year: |
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