Want to know why this country can't create jobs, why unemployment is rampant, why our education system is deteriorating, our economy is lifeless, and we have a national debt of $17.3 trillion? It's because funds that should be used to stabilize and rebuild this nation's foundations are being directed, instead, to the massive, military establishment and empire of bases across the world.
Here's my modern-day adaptation of what President Eisenhower said as he left the presidency in 1953: for each billion dollars that this government spends on excessive weaponry and on maintaining the military empire, that is a billion dollars that cannot be spent on this nation's critically important domestic needs; from restoring our manufacturing sector and creating new jobs to improvements in our education systems and funding important social programs, including facilities for mental health problems.
America needs a strong military, but not a giant monolith spanning the world. It needs a force to defend America from any nation or terrorists who pose a direct, imminent threat to this country but not an overly aggressive military force whose intent is to dominate the world.
The power that the U.S. military establishment holds over America is pervasive and very troubling. The degree to which military matters dominate this country's priorities and direction is staggering. As it sucks the wealth out of this nation, it stifles creativity, it suffocates innovation, both of which once made this country exceptional.
Eisenhower predicted almost exactly what is happening in America today. But, though he had a vision of the future, in no way could he have predicted that the following disturbing scenario is being played out in recent times:
America winds down its manufacturing sector, ships its production and jobs to China which uses them to expand its workforce, grow its economy, generate massive profits from these endeavors, and then invests multi-billions in U.S. securities.
The U.S. government takes the proceeds from these Chinese investments and spends them on a massive military empire. The Chinese government knows that America, instead of using these funds to strengthen its foundations, creating new jobs, reducing debt and funding critically important domestic needs, will use them as fuel for the engines of war.
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