How would you spend $3 trillion?
By on Apr 15th, 2008 at 9:48 am
How would you spend $3 trillion?
According to an analysis by Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, the occupation of Iraq will cost $3 trillion. Brave New Films asks, “Can YOU spend that money better?” Watch this new short film:
In the Washington Post today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi explains that the Iraq war has “taken us deeply into debt, and that debt is taking us into recession.” Rep. Baron Hill (D-IN) adds that, due to the burdensome costs of the war, “We’re limited as to what we can do to stimulate the economy.”
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A fairly small fraction of that 3 trillion needs to go for efficient programs to repair the Gulf Coast of our own country & the lives & hopes of its people.
April 15th, 2008 at 9:53 amSince the $3 Trillion was largely borrowed from our friends the Chinese, to whom we owe quite a large sum of money, I would suggest that rather than deciding “what you could buy” with that $3 Trillion, the better move would be to decide not to spend it in the first place.
April 15th, 2008 at 9:54 amHow would you spend $3 trillion?
The most important concerns for me are the poor, the homeless, the children.
April 15th, 2008 at 9:56 amThree trillion dollars would make sure every mouth in this country was fed, every body was sheltered, every child educated.
I believe in the chance for growth of an individual (physically, mentally, and spiritually).
Bush and Co. does not.
The real issue is why it has taken so long for some of us to see the handwriting on the wall?
April 15th, 2008 at 9:58 amAmerica’s infrastructure rebuilding costs currently project out at more than $10 Billion, but $3 Billion would be a good start.
April 15th, 2008 at 9:59 amA small portion of that $3 billion should have been spent to fund Congress’ impeachment proceedings against GDumbya and Darth Cheney before they led us down this primrose path.
April 15th, 2008 at 10:03 amThat’s 3 trillion guys and gals.
April 15th, 2008 at 10:05 amThree trillion —
April 15th, 2008 at 10:07 amBegin to pay down debt.
Start a WPA-like program to put people to work while improving our infrastructure and reconstruction of the gulf coast. Hungry, unemployed, sick, elderly and poor — all need our support. I would much prefer that my tax dollars go toward improving and assisting the lives of my fellow citizens.
As it is now, my tax dollars are going to increase our debt, occupy another country, pay war profiteers, give bonuses to wealthy CEOs, and subsidize tax cuts for the rich.
Free Health Care would have saved many lives in this country. We are ranked at #37 in the world, Colombia has a better Health Care System than we do. They are ranked in the 22nd slot, and they are a poor country. Something is seriously wrong with this.
We would still have money left over to rebuild the homes lost to Katrina and give more money to State Governments for our Education System.
George was too busy playing cowboy in Texas and pretending he was once a great fighter pilot.
April 15th, 2008 at 10:15 amUm, pay off the debt, or, optionally, pound each and every cent, one penny at a time, up the chymp’s butt.
April 15th, 2008 at 10:19 amgive it back to china…
April 15th, 2008 at 10:21 amOh, yes. Three trillion. That’s just how ridiculous this situation has become. Three trillion is an unimaginable number and that is how incredible our predicament is.
April 15th, 2008 at 10:25 amWe had this on the Zoo yesterday. $3 trillion — doesn’t that make you sick?
April 15th, 2008 at 10:35 amThe GOP wing of al Quaida is dead set on bringing dowwn the USA.
April 15th, 2008 at 10:51 amWhat.? It would take 11 Trillion to cover the ADMITTED debt…..My first thought was to hire the best legal mind’s in the world to get this bunch in office removed to jail cell’s forever….
My second thought was to fuel up every available air transport and haul every soldier all over the world home….
Third thought was immediate rebuilding of N.O. and our infastructor.That one would create enough job’s to cover all the unemployed….
Fourth thought…Health care for all american’s, housing and food for all….
Fifth thought Hire thousand’s of people to monater all our port’s and buy back and boot out Dubi…
Sixth thought massive clean up of our soil, water and air…This one would be at the cost of the polluter’s, their asset’s would be sold off if they refuse to comply……
Seventh thought…Investigate all wrong doer’s and anti constitutional polatician’s in our gov….Fire them from office for life and make them all pay back to the treasury every penny they have taken while on the dole in office…Jail the majority of them for treason…..This is just a few thought’s that are boggeling my mind on any given day…First we must have accountability and justice or we have nothing at all……~Blessings~
April 15th, 2008 at 10:57 amAnd don’t forget the $196 Million dollar investments in the military by some of our lawmakers in Congress.
That’s why we’re spending this money.
Think back to PNAC :
Page 18
Rebuilding America’s Defenses: Strategy, Forces and Resources for a New Century
HOMELAND DEFENSE. America must defend its homeland. During the Cold War,nuclear deterrence was the key element in homeland defense; it remains essential. But thenew century has brought with it new challenges. While reconfiguring its nuclear force, theUnited States also must counteract the effects of the proliferation of ballistic missiles andweapons of mass destruction that may soon allow lesser states to deter U.S. military actionby threatening U.S. allies and the American homeland itself. Of all the new and currentmissions for U.S. armed forces, this must have priority.LARGE WARS. Second, the United States must retain sufficient forces able to rapidlydeploy and win multiple simultaneous large-scale wars and also to be able to respond tounanticipated contingencies in regions where it does not maintain forward-based forces.This resembles the “two-war” standard that has been the basis of U.S. force planning overthe past decade. Yet this standard needs to be updated to account for new realities andpotential new conflicts.CONSTABULARY DUTIES. Third, the Pentagon must retain forces to preserve thecurrent peace in ways that fall short of conduction major theater campaigns. A decade’sexperience and the policies of two administrations have shown that such forces must beexpanded to meet the needs of the new, long-term NATO mission in the Balkans, thecontinuing no-fly-zone and other missions in Southwest Asia, and other presence missions invital regions of East Asia. These duties are today’s most frequent missions, requiring forcesconfigured for combat but capable of long-term, independent constabulary operations.TRANSFORMU.S. ARMEDFORCES. Finally, the Pentagon must begin now to exploit the so-called “revolution in military affairs,” sparked by the introduction of advanced technologiesinto military systems; this must be regarded as a separate and critical mission worthy of ashare of force structure and defense budgets
April 15th, 2008 at 10:57 amI’d have to take advantage of Taco Bell’s “Three Trillion Tacos for Three Trillion Dollars” deal. I honestly can’t think of any better way to spend that kinda scratch.
April 15th, 2008 at 10:59 amHomeland defense….
***Shudder…***
Every time I see that phrase, the Nazis come to mind.
April 15th, 2008 at 11:02 amRep. Baron Hill (D-IN) adds that, due to the burdensome costs of the war, “We’re limited as to what we can do to stimulate the economy.”
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Stimulate the economy…?????????
I’d suggest a really ginormous French tickler….
April 15th, 2008 at 11:04 amThe total land area of the United States is 2.3 billion acres. Does that put 3 trillion in perspective or dumbfound you?
April 15th, 2008 at 11:07 amSo the war IS costing us too much money, right? It’s not paying for itself, and where’s the Iraqi oil revenue? Not to mention all the needless death and suffering.
Great job Republicans!
April 15th, 2008 at 11:11 amBasically its making it too expensive to eat for a lot of people. How long are truckers going to pay 4.10/gal. for diesel before parking it.
April 15th, 2008 at 11:44 amShoot, Lidos dog food is up almost 3 a bag since November.
Bushbaby has us heading toward Great Depression 2, I’m convinced of that.
take care
tony and guidedog Lido
what massive unnecessary death, destruction, illegality, and immorality apparently can’t succeed in getting us out of Iraq, the almighty just might.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:40 pm.
How much will cost of a death squadrom for executing WAR CRIMINALS? Saddam’s execution looked cheap… perhaps Bush’s and Chenney’s can be resolved with a similar rope…
April 15th, 2008 at 1:15 pmI’d use to buy, and then liquidate, the GOP. That would amount to a solid investment that would pay us all back many times over.
April 15th, 2008 at 1:33 pmThanks to Pelosi dyke who took impeachment “off the table”. Yes this a war designed to cripple the economy and push this country into deep debt! Yes we are in a recession, how deep? We don’t know until we reach rock bottom! The show must go on! Keep spending on a never ending criminal war. Keep borrowing until the dollar is reduced to rubble! Over-stretched troops, over-stretched dollar, get the picture?
April 15th, 2008 at 2:45 pmI would like to see a breakdown of how much money went where. How much went to contractors such as Haliburton, KBR, and Blackwater, how much went to our troops, and how much is being spent on reconstruction. I am guessing that the latter two are remarkably small, considering the total price.
April 15th, 2008 at 2:48 pmI dont understand why stupid Pelosi and fellow-Dem colleagues cant get Bush’s mainiacal hands off of the helm before we hit the ice-berg. Impeach the Chimp now!!!!
April 15th, 2008 at 4:17 pm