The 2009 budget also calls for an 8.1% increase in Pentagon spending ($518.3 billion) plus an additional $70 billion to fight the war on terror. Again, these numbers do not reflect the full amount needed to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan, which will continue to be treated as “emergency spending.” Consider how many times President Bush has gone to Congress for money in 2007 and already in 2008. He is about to ask for yet another $107 billion. Should we really believe that $70 billion is enough in 2009? In the meantime, President Bush managed to cut Medicare by $208 billion over the next five years, and trimmed $18 billion right off the top in 2009 by cutting, of course, various education, training, highway and environmental programs (domestic programs where investment would create jobs).
It’s time to stop the bleeding
President Bush glibly states that the deficit is temporary and we’ll be operating in the black by 2012. Those Americans who fail to tie the state of the economy to the burgeoning cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the unnecessary tax cuts to the rich point to this with optimism. They are delusional. Our imperial president bases this ridiculous projection on not needing more than $70 billion to continue fighting the wars in 2009 (a silly assumption when you consider how many times he’s asked for money on an emergency basis) and on a sunny economic forecast that says the U.S. economy will grow at 2.7% in 2008. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects U.S. growth at significantly lower rate: 1.5% in 2008. Americans should be made aware that this level of performance could actually add $250+ billion to the deficit over the next five years rather than reducing it.
President Bush has bankrupted America and the Congress has given him carte blanche to do so by continuing to fund the war. The timid Democrats simply do not want to be accused of not supporting the troops, particularly during an election year. However, even if the Congress cut off funding today, there would still be enough money allocated to keep the war going for another full year. The Congress should stand tall and cut fiscal support for this war, starting with Bush’s upcoming request for $107 billion. It should also let the tax cuts to the rich expire. This revenue could be used to invest in the very domestic programs President Bush continues to cut. We could hire more teachers, police officers, even border patrol agents. We could invest in infrastructure improvements to our bridges, tunnels and roads, investments that are sorely needed. These are the programs that will actually create jobs, stimulate the economy and, perhaps, even jump-start a recovery.
(1) Office of Management and Budget, National Economic Council (9/27/00)
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
