200 Billion and We Can't Make It Anymore.

[MA-Caver]

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Ok this may be anti-war but it makes a point. I have no sound but the images spoke louder than words. I'm guessing it's a presidential campaign message as well. But turning off the sound might make more sense out of it all.
Sure we're fighting terrorism and making the world a safer place... but at what costs? At what cost to the U.S. ...(and to the U.K. for that matter)?
We were promised a higher minimum wage sometime last year... I still haven't seen it, although I'm working for more than minimum at the present ($6.25 an hour) it's still barely enough to do what I need to do. If I were not living with my parents I'd probably be impoverished as I type. No, seriously.
Something needs to be done here. And as the line says for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing. But the other question begs to be asked and usually is... what can I do?
Corporations have built themselves up so powerful that to make money and to make more of it is the ultimate goal. Sure, the American dream? But is that truly it? Always thought it was to do what you want to do (chosen profession) and live & raise our children comfortably in a free enough society not to be bothered by anyone.
Sure defense is necessary and to help those who cannot otherwise help themselves is a good thing. But at what cost?
I like this video for it's first impression that it made upon me. What about you?
Thoughts? Comments?

 

[Andy Moynihan]

Helping out is all fine and well, but we forgot one of Murphy's most basic Laws of Combat, that being: "If you take more than your fair share of objerctives, you will have more than your fair share of objectives to take".

 

[thardey]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but that $200 billion didn't just disappear? I mean, it went to pay soldiers, and buy supplies, and things like that, didn't it?

Now, I know that paying lockheed-martin, or Boeing, or whoever is a political tar-pit, but at some level, that $200 billion circulated back through blue-collar America. I will grant that I'm sure a few corporate heads got filthy rich, and that the actual soldiers and factory-workers didn't get much more than minimum wage, but it's not like the $200 billion actually went to Iraq.

I can see how people will be upset that the government no longer has control over that money, and it would be nice if the government actually used taxes to pay for the things that citizens would like them to pay for, such as actually paying for education, or taking care of people who are truly disabled, but that's never happened, and I'm not holding my breath for it to be anytime soon.

I get the point about outsourcing, and it would be nice to have more jobs in America, but that's always been the danger of raising minimum wage. There would be more jobs here, if people worked like slaves, but what would be the point of having a job then?

I guess I don't really see what the video is trying to say, or what it's saying we should do about it - it's just another reminder that this world isn't progressing as much as people want to believe it is.

 

[Sukerkin]

That was one depressingly perceptive song .

I know we've had a few threads recently where the right-wingers have been waving the flag and where contrary opinions have been effectively quenched but that clip is all the argument anyone should ever need to sort your government out.

Sadly, I think it's too late. The wheels are in motion so that another 'superpower' enemy can be created for the benefit of those at the top of the tree whilst those at the bottom continue to feed the tree with their blood. According to American mythology it's the Tree of Liberty being watered with the blood of patriots.

I'd suggest a closer look and a more clinical analysis.

I have a tenner here that says that before long we'll be looking at China as the 'New USSR' in the pantheon of bogey men for the post-Imperial era.

EDIT: Thardey, in a past life I was an Economist for my sins and you do not want to know just how cockeyed the system is that most people think is so sensible and stable. It will eventually collapse under the weight of it's own insanity and I just pray that I'm dead and gone before that happens.

 

[Ray]

I have questions regarding the $200B. How was that number arrived at? Is it the difference of what we would have spent on military without a war versus having a war (the incremental expense) or is it the total of what military spending is?

Secondly, if minimum wage is raised, then all those who currently earn minimum wage will still earn minimum wage. Businesses will have to cut expenses or raise prices. If we look at the fast food industry and how automated it is, for example, then we can see that labor has been reduced (or at least the growth of labor per hamburger sold has been reduced). Likewise, look at auto factories and the amount of human labor that goes into an auto, vrs then increase of robotics as wages in that industry increased.

I was once at a place where that spent a bunch of money to put in overhead converyors to eliminate the labor of forklift drivers.

It is sad to think that there will be poor always.

 

[Big Don]

How much has been spent on the war on poverty? What has actually been accomplished?

 

[Cruentus]

That's pretty ****ing depressing and pessimistic if you ask me.

I'd rather focus on the success stories, bettering myself so I don't end up down and out, and trying to help others do the same. But that's just me, I guess.

As to the war, there is a thread going on in the study that discusses war spending in depth. I am not going to argue as to whether or not the war actually helps our economy, but I can say that with our military budget only being 3-4% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the war isn't the reason people are poor, unemployed, or all around just having a hard time.

There are a multitude of reasons, really, that have been compounding since long before the war on terror; and the living wage and employment demographics are real problems that absolutely need to be addressed. Unfortunatily, I am not seeing ANYONE in Washington with an appropriate solution. It will only get worse before it gets better. T

he only thing we can do is try to stay positive with what we can do, better ourselves, and help others around us as best we can.