War: What is it Good For? (Issue #1)

In 2008 - during the Bush Administration - the amount of United States dollars being put towards the War in Iraq were astronomical. The issue arises because the President is the Commander in Chief - who is the leader of the military - but, Congress has the Power of the Purse, and can bar federal funding of the war. That's where much debate ensues: to side with Congress and its ability to control federal spending; or, with the Executive branch and side with the ideology that President and his Administration are best suited to run a war campaign. The number of dollars spent on the War in Iraq add to the national deficit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_deficit) every year, driving our national debt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_debt) higher and higher - digging a deeper and deeper grave for future generations.

There has been a public out-cry, as of late, to end the War in Iraq. Far too much money has been spent on on-going - and seemingly ineffective - liberation of the region, and our future generations are going to feel it in the worst way. By inheriting this huge ever-accumulating debt, we will be at a crossroads with no where to turn. The borrowed money is going to have to be paid back eventually, and the task would be much easier if billions of dollars and human lives were not involved in a war effort. By Congress denying federal funding towards the war, or even to tie any military funding to certain conditions or benchmarks for progress.

This site, Institute for Policy Studies, shares a similar opinion, but expands further with the idea of creating more jobs with that money. (http://www.ips-dc.org/articles/more_jobs_less_war)


Issue #2: http://maxineannec.blogspot.com/2010/10/issue-2-spnding-what-we-can-afford.html
Issue #3: http://theresasocial.blogspot.com/2010/10/issue-3-social-insecurity.html