Oh, Another 50 Billion

The Bush administration went to the Hill this week and asked for an extra $50 billion for the war for 2008. They already plan to spend $386,000,000 each and every day for the year on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- for a total of $141 billion.

Now they want to increase that spending by 50 billion dollars. Thirty-five percent. It is insane. The total Defense Dept budget for 2008 is $481 billion. It's not like the place is starving for money.

Hey, they say, we need to buy lots of fully armored vehicles (years and years too late) to protect our troops. How about getting the troops home rather than rushing to stuff cash into a defence contractors coffers for vehicles that cost $1 million each. We need to buy some of these vehicles, but the plan to buy billions of dollars worth of these things just confirms what we all know -- this administration is planning to keep our service-men and -women in Iraq for a long time.

Meanwhile, Bush says we cannot afford even a few billion dollars for additional health care for children. Our congress has a hard time finding money (1 token billion so far) for dangerously worn highway infrastructure.

Our spending priorities are unacceptable. There is a saying out there, and I find it true: "Budgets are moral documents" Well, this Bush budget, with a belt-busting $50 billion extra for a war in the mid-east is an immoral document.

Peace.