Bush’s War Machine by the Numbers…

Re(1): 'Joe Sixpack on Taxes', The Fly Bottle, Will Wilkinson
Re(2): 'The July 2007 Monthly Treasury Statement', Department of the Treasury
Re(3): 'Monthly Treasury Statement', Department of the Treasury
Re(4): Bureau of Labor Inflation Calculator

Some poor Lefty (Alphie) posted the usual blather at Will Wilkinso’s ‘The Fly Bottle’ blog stating:

And the $400+ billion the U.S. government paid in interest last year(mostly to foreigners) on the money it borrowed in the past instead of rasing through taxes?

Even Joe Sixpack realizes that if he runs off to Vegas and blows his mortgage money on a good time…there will be a cost.

When he sobers up, that is.

(Spelling errors his)

The poor sod.

He is off by $29 Billion on the interest payment – in his favor!!!

And:

Off by a massive $161 Billion on his DOD spending. That is a 30% error.

So, I got to thinking…

Just how big is Bush’s War Machine…

Some facts first:

The GDP in 2000 was 9.8 Trillion
The GDP estimate for 2007 is $13.5 Trillion.
Thus, GDP in 2007 in 2000 dollars is 11.2 Trillion

DOD spending in FY2000 was $281 Billion
The DOD FY2007 spending estimate is $539 Billion
Thus, DOD FY2007 spending in 2000 dollars is $445 Billion

Some opinion:

Very few associated with the military found the DOD spending acceptable. Anyone remember running out of Tomahawk missiles in October 2001? Anyone remember any new military technology that was developed in the Clinton era? Anything we did not have in 1992? Anything at all? Maybe some up-armored HMMVEs?

So my opinion is that we had to spend a bit more in the DOD to compensate for Clinton Era cutbacks. We all know the military ‘survived the Clinton Era!!!’. But, just barely

Now the Math (in 2000 dollars):

Bush has grown the DOD budget by:

$445 Billion - $281 Billion = $164 Billion.

In that time, Health and Human Services grew by:

$561 Billion - $390 Billion = $171 Billion

With Tax Revenue Growth of:

$2,127 Billion - $2,025 Billion = $102 Billion

And, a FY2007 deficit of probably $120 Billion ($99 Billion in 2000 dollars). With a balanced budget – or even a surplus – in FY2008!!!

Thus, under Bush,
The DOD expenditures are 3.7% of GDP
The Health and Human Services expenditures are 5.0% of GDP
The DOD expenditures are 20.9% of Tax Revenue.
The Health and Human Services expenditures are 26.4% of Tax Revenue

Thus, under Clinton,
The DOD expenditures are 2.9% of GDP
The Health and Human Services expenditures are 4.0% of GDP
The DOD expenditures are 13.9% of Tax Revenue.
The Health and Human Services expenditures are 19.3% of Tax Revenue.

That War Machine is costing 0.8% of GDP and 7% of Tax Revenue. There are no serious experts who think we should spend less than 4% of GDP on our military. Only folks like Alphie I guess.

So, here is my deal with the Lefty’s:
Let’s cut DOD expenditures by $25 Billion and HSS expenditures by $35 Billion. That is, shave 5% off of each budget!!! Then, with the tax revenue growth President Bush has initiated we shall see a large surplus next year.

Let’s shake on that!!!
The Grand Bargain!!!

I flushed once…

Re(1): 'As 9/11 Draws Near, a Debate Rises: How Much Tribute Is Enough? ', NYT, N.R. Klienfiled

No, not a Larry Craig joke.

Instead, yet another miserable article by the NYT…

The basic jist of Klienfield's article is: 9/11 – Get over it!!!

Some quotes:

Few Americans give much thought anymore on Dec. 7 that Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941 (the date to live in infamy). Similar subdued attention is paid to other scarring tragedies: the Kennedy assassination (Nov. 22, 1963), Kent State (May 4, 1970), the Oklahoma City bombing (April 19, 1995).

Generations, of course, turn over. Few are alive anymore who can recall June 15, 1904, when 1,021 people died in the burning of the steamer General Slocum, the deadliest New York City disaster until Sept. 11, 2001. Also, the weight of new wrenching events crowds the national memory. Already since Sept. 11, there have been Katrina and Virginia Tech. And people have their own more circumscribed agonies.

What might happen on Sept. 11 a hundred years from now? “It’s conceivable that it could be virtually forgotten,” said Dr. Bodnar, the history professor. “Does anyone go out on the streets of New York and commemorate the firing on Fort Sumter?”

To answer Klienfield’s questions as well as that of the good doctor’s:

Klienfield, we Americans remember World War II. Have you visited the monument? Do you go shopping on Veterans Day? Memorial Day? You may not remember the start of World War II – but that only proves you are an ignorant lout. Personally, if you do not remember ‘the day that lives in infamy’ I can’t help you. Why are you qualified the write about epoch changing events?

Klienfield, I do not commemorate the Kennedy assassination, Kent State shooting, the Katrina hurricane, or the Oklahoma City bombing because those events did not upend America the way the Revolution, the Civil War, World War II, and 9/11 have. The Kennedy assassination is remembered – but what has it changed. The other events were tragic – but why are they on your list.

A natural disaster?

A steamship fire?

A mass killing?

Why not put Contra Gate on that list? Watergate? Did some Christianist Wing-Nut editor at the NYT scandalously excise those references from your screed? How about the 1977 San Diego State beating of Florida State? Are all tragedies equal. Can you define the Revolution, the Civil War, and World War II as tragedies and still tell the world that you are a man of letters? Spend a second and think of 9/11. Was it a 'tragedy'?

I live over three thousand miles away.

I will allow my memory of 9/11 to fade when I find myself living in an era of PAX Americana. I will remember ‘Victory over Barbarism Day’. If you ignorant troglodytes will allow a victory than that will be the day I celebrate. Is that a fair bargain? Let us shake on that.

To make my point a bit clearer. To cut though the fog of BDS infliction. If you cannot separate a steamship fire from the initiation of a hot war than I am sorry.

You and yours are turds still floating aimlessly in the bowl.

Looks like I have to flush that damn toilet again.