Booman Tribune ~ A Progressive Community

It isn't just the endless wars-for-profit and universal arms-dealing and mercenaries and sabre-rattling... these guys also have so many speculative cost-plus programs with horrendous surcharges and overages and delays. Billions of dollars just evaporated. Billions more were spent on shoddy construction put up by slave labor: schools, hospitals, even the embassy. And yet more billions get spent on toys-for-boys: the rods from god, the space platform with laser weaponry, the sonics, microwaves, drones, and robotic tanks.

Cutting the "emergency" appropriations is a start. After almost a decade, surely the military can budget their wars!

Cutting off all mercenaries is a big step. If we have the finest soldiers in the world... use them. Besides, it will improve morale.

If Congress puts the money into veteran care, training, and troop retention, and stop the endless war-mongering, we might get a chance to rebuild the military before it is really needed.

Getting out of Iraq will save $12 billion/month, but some will be needed in Afghanistan. So lets say $10 billion/month saved. Putting ALL developmental toyz for ALL services equally on hold for 2 years will save a lot more. (this means battleships and planes as well as robotics) Then tell ALL the armed forces that they must cut 25% from their budget. They get to choose whether they want people or machines, but they must cut back. No more bottomless wallet!

America needs money for infrastructure, health care, education. We can't keep borrowing it. Even if we develop green technologies and produce new jobs, we must have money to invest first. That means stopping the profligacy and bloated mess in military procurement and ending the useless wars-on-nouns.

Immediately.

by hauksdottir on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 11:22:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

Economy, health care and war. For the most part, in that order.

My World Without Gravity

by jack fate on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 05:32:43 PM EST

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

Health care by a nose. Then the economy. But the implications of health care reform are significant for the economy.

by The Farmer (pineviewfarm@comcast.net) on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 05:36:10 PM EST

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

It was the political castration of LIEberman, but now I'll settle for a Congressional pay raise - at least I know they'll deliver the goods...

The Underground Railroad

by Oscar In Louisville on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 05:47:47 PM EST

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

OSCAR!!!!!!!!!

i owe you a cheesesteak.

i bet you a cheesesteak that racist america would never vote for barak obama and elect him president....i was wrong....you were right.

let me know how you want your cheesesteak and how to get it to you.

annmariedelaware@aol.com

Edible panties taste like crap.

by anna in philly (jrsygir1@aol.com) on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 06:00:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

Yes, enough guilty white liberals voted to beat back the racist white conservatives. LOL

In truth though, Obama is sui generis as a politician. I doubt any other African American could have pulled this off at this time, despite Bush, despite the failure of the economy. Your bet probably seemed safe when you made it, but once I heard his speech on race, I knew he would be elected President.

John McCain hates my wife because she's a "gook."

by Steven D on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 06:43:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

i still dont believe it

Edible panties taste like crap.

by anna in philly (jrsygir1@aol.com) on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 08:56:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

That'll be worth a trip to Philly - I'll let you know when I'm heading up that way. I have some family in south Jersey that I need to see anyway.

The Underground Railroad

by Oscar In Louisville on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 09:26:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

universal healthcare, no excuses, no exceptions, no concessions.

Edible panties taste like crap.

by anna in philly (jrsygir1@aol.com) on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 05:58:17 PM EST

Healthcare n/t (none / 0)

50 states, 210 media market, 435 Congressional Districts, 3080 counties, 192,480 precincts

by TarheelDem (editor@thepartielion.com) on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 06:03:51 PM EST

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

Androderm patches for all Democrats.

by The Voice In The Wilderness on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 06:15:12 PM EST

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

simultaneously,

the economy needs a $600 billion stimulus bill to avoid a deep depression. Government is the spender of last resort.

Withdraw from Afghanistan, (a growing quagmire of a black hole) and fast forward Iraq too, deploy those funds to Universal Health care.

repeal the Patriot Act. restore habeas corpus, close Gitmo.

Well, "You can't vote for war and disown the results"

by idredit on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 06:29:47 PM EST

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

Yeah, I'm with idredit on this one.

Without the economy, nothing else is feasible. And the economy is in horrendous shape. Judging from the massive consumer spending pullback in October thanks to the twin forces of the housing crash and the credit crunch, we're going to start having to worry about deflation.

If what happened to the oil market happens to everything else, we're in deep trouble.

More at Zandar vs. The Stupid.

by Zandar1 on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 06:36:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

thanks Zandar1. honored.

add to our wall of worries impending shortages. Serious. International trade has grounded to a halt. Credit is still frozen -- no letters of credit. THe only guys making out are Somalia pirates and Paulson's selected friends.

What does Honda, Nissan, America Electric Power, Home Depot, Textron, and Dow Chemical have in common? I could add more.

They all are at the Feds to sell their commercial paper. And Paulson's next big headache is Citigroup.

And QE quantitative easing by the Feds. Obama will need a quartet, not just a Secretary of Treasury.

John Podesta sends emails. He wants our ideas.

Well, "You can't vote for war and disown the results"

by idredit on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 07:00:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

Healthcare - as close to Universal as possible.

Then infrastructure investment

Then college education in exchange for national service

Then hanging Bush and Cheney from the lamposts.

by gottlieb on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 06:37:43 PM EST

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

Health Care.

John McCain hates my wife because she's a "gook."

by Steven D on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 06:40:08 PM EST

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

Really, there should be legislation ready for an upperdown vote the first week. Signed within ten days. IOW before February 1. Can Teddy and his subcommittees pull it off?

The issues are known, the proposal should be simple (unlike the ponderous Hillarycare bill) and action should be so swift that opposition cannnot get going.

50 states, 210 media market, 435 Congressional Districts, 3080 counties, 192,480 precincts

by TarheelDem (editor@thepartielion.com) on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 07:19:55 PM EST

Health care, given the collapse of the economy (none / 0)

Once the economy truly tanks and people begin to form soup lines, malnutrition will wreak havoc on the population, especially the young and the elderly.

Free cradle to grave health care will save lives when the shitstorm hits but corporate handouts only fatten offshore bank accounts.

Funny how 'socialism' starts to sound pretty good when you haven't got a pot to piss in.

by John Brown (ruptured_duck@notmail.com) on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 07:21:12 PM EST

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

Universal health care and an Apollo Program/Manhattan Project type national push toward viable alternative energy technology. And not one that substitutes food for fuel.

"Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live." Dorothy Thompson, Journalist

by Indianadem on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 07:22:37 PM EST

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

health care

by glass house on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 07:29:54 PM EST

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

Health care for all, of course. But, as mentioned up thread, if we don't solve the economic problem, this creeping paralysis that is turning our businesses and banks into zombie companies, then, I'm afraid, we are all chopped liver. As to current wars, can we even afford them? Secretary of the Treasury appears to be the most significant cabinet choice. I sure hope it is a good one.

To survive cruelties, children had to conceal their own feelings from themselves. Alice Miller The Truth Will Set You Free, p.96

by Daredevil Don on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 07:38:46 PM EST

money (none / 0)

i just want some fuckin' money again.

John Mccain Called his wife WHAT??

by brendan on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 08:01:46 PM EST

Health care (none / 0)

so I can look for another job. Then of course, Iraq withdrawal and the economy.

by NancyImpeachBush on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 08:03:36 PM EST

Climate Change! (none / 0)

If we don't beat this back, the only intelligent life in the entirety of the universe will die.

by MNPundit on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 08:19:32 PM EST

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

Healthcare is very important but I really want to see Bushco environmental giveaways undone. The damage is extensive.

Fear will keep the local systems in line. -Grand Moff Tarkin -SLB-

by boran2 (blogistan@yahoo.com) on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 08:40:28 PM EST

Legislators without healthcare (none / 0)

It's the only thing that would finally give them all a clue.

by JugOPunch on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 08:42:38 PM EST

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

The economy. And to boost the economy, we need universal single-payer health insurance, which will take a burden off the backs of employers and enable wannabe self-employeds to leave their crappy jobs and strike out on their own; an end to wars of choice that waste money as well as lives, a shutdown of our zillion military bases all over the world, and stopping all the star wars and missile defense games; and an immense push for green infrastructure development to provide good jobs fast and energy independence.

Then a rollback of the PATRIOT Act and all the other scaredy-cat laws and domestic spying, with transparency going forward.

by Joyful Alternative on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 09:31:01 PM EST

Dealing with THIS (none / 0)

The total value of all US$-based mortgage bonds is $10.4 trillion, of which 30 percent is now expected to be lost in defaults and property devaluation. That's $3.2 trillion in losses.

Are those numbers right? Can anyone confirm? If so, this is #1.

Anyone know a good plumber?

by anarchronarchist (mincers (-at-) hotmail (-dot-) com) on Wed Nov 19th, 2008 at 10:29:17 PM EST

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

Send the Patriot Act back into the toxic waste of fascistic desire that it came from.
Restore & renew liberty first; all else will follow properly.

by wilderness wench on Thu Nov 20th, 2008 at 10:37:58 AM EST

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

1) Economy; 1a) Universal single payer healthcare; 2) Energy - Wind, Solar, Tidal, geothermal; 3) Infrastructure update/rebuild; 4) Achieve 1 with a massive WPA-esk investment in 2 & 3.

by SAQuestor on Thu Nov 20th, 2008 at 02:27:43 PM EST

Re: Serious Question (none / 0)

The war, because we don't deserve health care until we stop the killing.
The economy, since we can't afford health care until we first make sure people have jobs.
Healthcare.
Stopping global warming.

"If you look for the social economic motive, you will not have to wait for history to tell you what was propaganda and what was truth." - George Seldes

by Real History Lisa (lpeaseRemoveThis@gte.net) on Thu Nov 20th, 2008 at 02:54:01 PM EST

Serious Question | 36 comments (36 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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