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[Lime]

But single-payer healthcare is too expensive and unaffordable, right? And *only* 8 senators voted against this bill. Reminder that they "can't find" $6.5 TRILLION spent on the military, and now they're about to spend another $700 billion.

WASHINGTON — The Senate has overwhelmingly approved a sweeping policy bill that would pump $700 billion into the military, putting the U.S. armed forces on track for a budget greater than at any time during the decade-plus wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Senators passed the legislation by a 89-8 vote Monday. The measure authorizes $700 billion in military spending for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. [...]

The bill allots $10.6 billion for 94 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, which is two dozen more than Trump requested. The bill also provides $25 billion to pay for 13 ships, which is $5 billion and five ships more than the Trump sough

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-overwhelmingly-backs-bill-to-pump-700-billion-into-military/

These are the 8 who voted against it (while apparently Kamala Harris and Corey Booker voted for it)

And here's the 2017 discretionary spending budget before this particular policy bill was voted on:

EDIT:

It should be noted that the actual DOD budget is $574.5 billion. Overall defense related spending is $824.6 billion, but that includes Veteran Affairs, Homeland Security and costs of overseas wars in Iraq, Syria, etc.

Also that pie-chart shown on page 1 is a bit misleading, that only shows discretionary spending, i.e, spending that the Gov has control over. Most spending is mandatory in the form of Social Security and Health.

As you can see defense is actually 15% of total federal spending. Social security, at $1 billion is the biggest part of the budget.

The US though probably could do with cutting back on defense spending while still maintaining its status of No.1 military superpower, simply through cutting back on overseas wars.

 

[Tecnniqe]

Healthcare too expensive

 

[DrKelpo]

looking at that graph...this is just insanity

 

[Blizzard]

Are you saying you don't want America, and by extension its children, to be SAFE? Because it sounds like that's what you're saying. *waves pitchfork and torch*

I'm joking of course. I'd like to think there's some way to divert funding to other things, but good luck trying without opponents jumping on you as weakening America.

 

[SomTervo]

That pie chart. Holy crap.

 

[darklin0]

This country, smdh.

 

[Sinfamy]

The party of small government.
Why have universal healthcare, free college or a robust infrastructure when you can bolster the military industrial complex to shoot brown kids.

Also to PoliGAF, please spare me your apologetic pragmatism about how the Democrats who voted for this are eligible candidates going forward.

 

[Lime]

The party of small government.

Lots of Democrats also voted for this.

 

[Trickster]

That's such a ludicrous amount of money man

 

[Log4Girlz]

Think of the countries that'll invade us if we don't spend this amount up yearly.

 

[Blizzard]

Lots of Democrats also voted for this.

Everyone except 8 people, to be exact.

 

[Muppet of a Man]

Yup, Oregon and Vermont Senators represent, as expected. Apparently the most consistent Senators when it comes to not fucking over the American people.

 

[HazySaiyan]

So you don't have the money for healthcare or a fully funded education system, yet you can pump even more money into your military? A military which already has a bigger budget than the next eight countries combined?

I'm sorry America but your country is a joke.

 

[Auto_aim1]

I don't get the point of spending so much on the military when you really have no enemy and in a period of peace. All these ships and planes could be obsolete in the future if something more potent and advanced is created. What makes it shocking is that it's still around 4 percent of US GDP though.

 

[Muppet of a Man]

So you don't have the money for healthcare or a fully funded education system, yet you can pump even more money into your military? A military which already has a bigger budget than the next eight countries combined?

I'm sorry America but your country is a joke.

It's fucking ridiculous.

All of our kids should have a tuition free higher education and everyone should have healthcare coverage. We shouldn't be creating unhealthy, indebted, uneducated future generations, but we are.

This fucking farce here (see piechart) is the reason we do not.

All because of rich evil fucks...

 

[Taker666]

Sickening that this sort of spending is approved with barely a blink of an eye.


Cut 7% off that budget and you'd have enough money to fund the "pie in the sky", "Free College for all" plan that Bernie Sanders put forward (yet you can guarantee they wouldn't vote to approve that).

 

[Blizzard]

It's fucking ridiculous.

All of our kids should have a tuition free higher education and everyone should have healthcare coverage. We shouldn't be creating unhealthy, indebted, uneducated future generations, but we are.

This fucking farce here (see piechart) is the reason we do not.

All because of rich evil fucks...

It's not all because of rich evil fucks. A lot of them are kept in power by less-rich evil fucks who vote for them.

 

[Drazgul]

That's a lot of bullets and MREs.

 

[verbatimo]

Why not cut the military budget in half and use that money to education, healthcare, housing, social security, environment?

 

[malyce]

I feel like we're playing real life Rise of Nations and not spending enough on Knowledge and Commerce. There's no way this ends well.

 

[Jombie]

Really helping the little guys in the military contracting sector.

 

[Man with Knife]

Why not cut the military budget in half and use that money to education, healthcare, housing, social security, environment?

You're surrounded by Canada, Mexico and oceans, bro. Can't risk cutting the military budget.

 

[Usobuko]

Aheh

I'm sure there will some fat pockets with this persistent militaristic complex. Goes well with the nationalistic propaganda they feed the citizens since young too.

 

[lush]

Tune in to part three of Ken Burns' The Vietnam War tonight on PBS to learn more!

 

[Maintenance]

That's a lot of Viagra.

 

[G.ZZZ]

Can't wait for American "liberals" to tell me on the internetz that the EU is embarrassing because it isn't welcoming refugees and because of its racism toward muslims FeelsGoodMan

 

[Lime]

Sickening that this sort of spending is approved with barely a blink of an eye.


Cut 7% off that budget and you'd have enough money to fund the "pie in the sky", "Free College for all" plan that Bernie Sanders put forward (yet you can guarantee they wouldn't vote to approve that).

Remember this next time some Democrat or liberal or centrist say that it's not possible to have free healthcare or education.

 

[Gluka]

Looking forward to all the articles asking where this money is going to come from or how our foreign policy goals are at all realistic.

 

[Usobuko]

Why have universal healthcare, free college or a robust infrastructure when you can bolster the military industrial complex to shoot brown kids.

Lives of brown kids are worth less than a dog though.

 

[Muppet of a Man]

It's not all because of rich evil fucks. A lot of them are kept in power by less-rich evil fucks who vote for them.

True, but ultimately it is the greed-driven "fuck-you-got-mine" feudalistic mindset that powers this bullshit.

After all, the rich, feudal lords and nobles empower their military and enforcers to keep the peasants, serfs, and "invading" hordes in check.

 

[rpmurphy]

I don't get the point of spending so much on the military when you really have no enemy and in a period of peace. All these ships and planes could be obsolete in the future if something more potent and advanced is created. What makes it shocking is that it's still around 4 percent of US GDP though.

Gotta fight foreign wars to justify the investment, and invent reasons to go to war if there's too much peace. It's the American way!

Second Korean War, here we come!

 

[The Mule]

Not surprised. America is a broken country.

 

[Defuser]

America maybe well defended on the outside thanks to 700b but they are sure fucked on the inside.

 

[HariKari]

I don't get the point of spending so much on the military when you really have no enemy and in a period of peace.

Things are generally peaceful due to the American hegemony.

Nice to see them buying more F-35s, gotta get that unit cost down as low as possible.

 

[JustenP88]

God dammit

Thanks to those who voted no. I see you Sanders, Gillibrand and Wyden.

 

[Siegcram]

Guns > People

 

[Verelios]

Bu-bu-but healthcare reform taking up all muh monies

 

[Lime]

Things are generally peaceful due to the American hegemony.

"Generally" unless you're brown or black, especially of the Middle Eastern sort.

 

[ponpo]

I don't get the point of spending so much on the military when you really have no enemy and in a period of peace. All these ships and planes could be obsolete in the future if something more potent and advanced is created. What makes it shocking is that it's still around 4 percent of US GDP though.

Well other countries benefit as well, depending on the program. 8.5 billion of that 700 billion is for missile defense, and no doubt some countries around north korea don't mind that much.

 

[TarpitCarnivore]

Why not cut the military budget in half and use that money to education, healthcare, housing, social security, environment?

Honestly? At this point the scale of government contractors and non-military staff is so huge it's one of the biggest employers in the country. Unemployment rates would probably jump as non essential personal were cut. The government contractor business is a racket with the ludicrous rates they charge. Under Obama they did try to fix the gaping hole of gross spending but people didn't want to follow the rules. Also likely plausible you'd see bases shut down which could be economic hits to their areas. The BRAC that happened in my area was a mess and ended up costing over 500 million just to move. I'm speaking on this based on personal experiences so I may be coming off biased in my view. Either way it's a big hole we dug ourselves into with it.

 

[shinra-bansho]

Ready for Gillary.

 

[Zushin]

It truly makes me sad to think of the wasted potential of the USA in terms of their own country and the rest of the planet and what they could achieve if they used their wealth effectively.

 

[Laughing Banana]

Why not cut the military budget in half and use that money to education, healthcare, housing, social security, environment?

But what if aliens attack?

And by aliens I don't necessarily mean the Extra Terrestrial kind too.

 

[i-Lo]

Got to have the money to spread the American brands of freedom of liberty to other countries. Plus they need money for the carriers they're building. After all, they need to have extra so as to not be inconvenienced when one of their ships collide with yes another merchant vessel down the line. I'm surprised that Elizabeth Warren votes in affirmative for this.

 

[Monkeyball]

Replace hospitals with guns!

 

[Zojirushi]

And here we are in Germany fighting over that 2% NATO thing.

 

[LegendofDragoonLives]

important thing is look at all those democrats that are against the bill, at least that's a positive

 

[curiouscharles]

Fuk, America could be the coolest if that blue section was any smaller - like just a BIT smaller even.

Also, god bless you Bernie Sanders.

Spoiler

like, just even the little tiniest bit smaller

 

[Maximus.]

Sickening that this sort of spending is approved with barely a blink of an eye.


Cut 7% off that budget and you'd have enough money to fund the "pie in the sky", "Free College for all" plan that Bernie Sanders put forward (yet you can guarantee they wouldn't vote to approve that).

But that actually benefits a lot of people.

 

[G.ZZZ]

Can't have war if everyone is dead wesmart.gif

Sanders being an america-hating socialist anti-freedom racist white old man scum as usual