Lambert wonders why the Dems are going to give Bush another $200B for his war, and I do too. It seems…pointless and stupid. Worse, it’s costing you a great deal, in terms of the social programs you’re not getting. This is the federal budget. I don’t think it includes war expenditures (I’m very stupid when it comes to economics and finances, forgive me if I’m reading it wrong). Here’s the important part, in billions:

Discretionary budget authority: 06 07 change %
Department of Defense 410.8 439.3 28.5 6.9%
Homeland Security 32.1 33.1 1.0 3.3%
Other
Operations of Government 400.4 398.3 ?2.2 ?0.5%

When I say “we’ve already bought Universal Single Payer Health Care and wasted it in Iraq,” I’m speaking factually. The entire budget for non-military things is barely the cost of a couple of years of war in Iraq. Which neither Democrats or Republicans seem to want to end. Gosh, with numbers like these, I wonder why?  Read more