OstiDeChrisDec 10, 2022
Robert Reich

RT @[email protected]

The House just passed an atrocious $858 BILLION in annual defense spending.

That's $45B more than Biden even asked for.

Health care?
"We can't afford it."

Child tax credit?
"Too expensive."

Defense spending?
"Here I just found an extra $45 billion dollars laying around."

šŸ¦šŸ”—: https://twitter.com/RBReich/status/1600937904913596416

Robert Reich on Twitter

ā€œThe House just passed an atrocious $858 BILLION in annual defense spending. That's $45B more than Biden even asked for. Health care? "We can't afford it." Child tax credit? "Too expensive." Defense spending? "Here I just found an extra $45 billion dollars laying around."ā€

Twitter
Dec 10, 2022 at 12:32amWeb
Show threadKathyDec 10, 2022
@rbreich itā€™s infuriating! Followed a few here to Mastodon, trying to acclimate.
Show threadJohnWDec 10, 2022

@rbreich I guess having enough weapons to blow up the world 10 times over isn't enough.

If Covid gets us first, how much of that will be sitting in storage?

Show threadS. Z. Attwell ā˜•ļøšŸ’»Dec 10, 2022

@rbreich this is why I want to go into policy. This is ridiculous. Even having some kind of handle on how these things are prioritized/calculated/ā€œjustifiedā€ would be invaluable.

ā€œKnowledge is power,ā€ as they say.

Show threadJessicaDec 10, 2022
@rbreich In Australia we pay 2% of our taxable income to fund our Medicare system. I have had two strokes since Dec 019. It cost me nothing to stay in hospital, get a Stent put in my Carotid artery. I have had many CT Scans, MRIs and Xrays. I pay $6 per script for my stroke prevention medications as I am on a Disability Pension. Years ago my daughter at age four had leukemia. All treatment, hospital stays etc cost nothing. She lived.
Show threadAdaZellDec 10, 2022
@JessicaPerthWA @rbreich our healthcare system in the USA is in a shambles. The health insurance system is a cruel joke.
Show threadStargeezer SmithDec 10, 2022
@rbreich
Did I not read that lately the deficit has been dropping? Why the sudden concern of a few billion for good services?
Show threadInfosec V'gerDec 10, 2022
@rbreich you canā€™t do what you donā€™t want to do.
Show threadAndrew MDec 10, 2022
@rbreich And it's even more infuriating given all those assets they failed to account for last audit. A bureaucracy famous for its grift, and you give them even more money. America is a collapsing empire.
Show threadJohn HummelDec 10, 2022

@rbreich To anyone paying even a modicum of attention, this kind of behavior is an obvious tell that the republicans are just lying.

Thanks to their propaganda wing, Fox and others, the GOP can rest assured in their knowledge that most Americans are incapable of paying attention.

Show threadbleesingheartsDec 10, 2022
@jehummel @rbreich Uh Hums, donā€™t forget Dems hold the house by a significant majority. Doh! Canā€™t blame them on this one bub.
Show threadEdward BurrowDec 10, 2022

@rbreich

Fiscal policy simply adds to Powell's difficulty in his attempt for a 'soft landing'.

Show threadSmudgiesMomDec 10, 2022
@rbreich ā€œfeed school kids? Nahā€.
Show threadJohnnyangel (Jonathan Angel)Dec 10, 2022
@rbreich defense? It would be more honest to call it the Department of War as before, or just Department of Boondoggles.
Show threadBouriquetDec 10, 2022
@rbreich Compare that to free or subsidized higher education or trade school. Invest in our future, not in an overpriced machine that will be obsolescent in 5 years
Show threadbleesingheartsDec 10, 2022
@rbreich Dang those war mongering house democrats!!!!
Show threadJoseph KatzDec 10, 2022

@rbreich also Pentagon has failed five audits in a row. It couldn't account for about 61 percent of its assets.

Maybe an extra $45 billion will help you find your missing assets

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/3740921-defense-department-fails-another-audit-but-makes-progress/

Defense Department fails another audit, but makes progress

The Defense Department has failed its fifth-ever audit, unable to account for more than half of its assets, but the effort is being viewed as a ā€œteachable moment,ā€ according to its chief financial officer.  After 1,600 auditors combed through DODā€™s $3.5 trillion in assets and $3.7 trillion in liabilities, officials found that the department couldnā€™t account for aboutā€¦

The Hill
Show threadDerek šŸŒˆDec 10, 2022
@rbreich ooooooo yeah they need more for sure šŸ˜¢
Show threadSbGovComDec 10, 2022
@rbreich
Beyond crazy!
Show threadBlue The VoteDec 10, 2022
@rbreich at least they didnā€™t waste it buying twitter
Show threadlolonurseDec 10, 2022
@rbreich
Why oh why oh why??? Our "leaders' " priorities are so messed up. Think of all the wonderful things we could do if thoughtful people made the decisions.
Show threadRS, Author, Novelist, ProsaistDec 10, 2022

@rbreich
Give us #solutions, please!
You list the *symptoms, then ask the weak to do something.

The true cause is that politicians are beholden to big donors, whether #wallstreet or #billionares, and it is very human to feel obligated when given gifts. Especially big ones.

Remove #bigmoney from #politics, make politicians beholden to the voters again. Even the Democrats don't have the stomach for that, sadly.

Think of a solution for the money problem, how to reverse or work around the #Citizensunited decision. Then advise those that could make it happen.

#Bellyaching about what is, when politicians act like, well... politicians, without laying out a plan annoys your audience and frustrates the preacher.

Show threadCometkidDec 10, 2022
@rbreich ā˜šŸ»ā˜šŸ»ā˜šŸ» THIS.
Show threadfilobus aka hecatonchiriDec 10, 2022
@rbreich this is the world USA want
Show threadSACH NonprofitDec 10, 2022
@rbreich
No one has ever become poor from giving.
Show threadFloydPerkinsonDec 10, 2022
@rbreich this is why we need a rational and reasonable Conservative party. We donā€™t have it.
Show threadAnthonyDec 10, 2022
@rbreich Politicians are making money from donations off the war machine until all donations, second jobs, consultation work, and gifts are classified as bribery and corruption we will never have Politicians working in the best interests of the people.
Show threadTang_FishDec 10, 2022
@rbreich what's $45B between friends.
Show threadrhn5595Dec 12, 2022
@rbreich
Show threadDavid SchurmanDec 12, 2022
@rbreich 900 billion dollars will be spent on what? Don't the taxpayers deserve to know where every dollar will be spent? We need a breakdown.
Show threadSproketDec 13, 2022
@rbreich doesn't this level of government spending affect inflation?