Pentagon Loses More Than Cost Of Health Care, Stimulus And Bank Bailout Combined

[DearAbby]

Colbert conservatism and the military budget
By David Sirota


Pop quiz: Name the political leader who said the following:

"We must be willing to pull the plug before sinking more dollars into weapons that do not provide what our warriors need."

Now name the leader who said this:

"(W)e cannot track $2.3 trillion in (Pentagon spending) ... We maintain 20 to 25 percent more base infrastructure than we need to support our forces, at an annual waste to taxpayers of some $3 billion to $4 billion ... There are those who will oppose every effort to save taxpayers' money ... Well, fine, if there's to be a struggle, so be it."

I'm willing to bet many self-described "conservatives" guessed Ralph Nader and Dennis Kucinich. I would make that wager based on the enraged response to my recent column about government data showing that our waste-ridden, $600-billion-a-year defense budget will cost about seven times more than the health-care legislation currently before Congress.

In e-mails, letters and Web site comments, right-wingers didn't vent anger at Pentagon profligacy, but at the criticism of Pentagon profligacy — as if brazenly throwing away billions on outdated weapons systems and obsolete military programs is now a "conservative" value


More at Link

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2010369679_sirota30.html

[FiveGoodMen]

1. Tell our president.

He doesn't seem to understand this.

[chill_wind]

2. $600-billion-a-year defense budget will cost about seven times more than the health-care legislation

currently before Congress. And let's not forget that.

This is who we are.

[druidity33]

3. when he said it is more important...

Donald Rumsfeld, Sep 10, 2001.

[chill_wind]

4. And K & R.