It is very sad that in a country that can give eighty-seven billion dollars to Iraq, it cannot create average to above average jobs for its own citizens. This is not only tragic but embarrasing for the citizens of the United States. As mentioned in "Nickel and Dimed", poverty-level wages and an inadequate welfare system have left millions of Americans struggling at the bottom of the economic ladder. What do you think?

My husband and I were just disagreeing about this issue last night. On Friday I saw on ABC news some startling numbers about how the United States in spending money in Iraq. For example, we are spending 50 million dollars to teach people in Iraq to use the internet and something close to that to set up a zip code system. $50,000 a bed is being spent on a new prison in Iraq. I am 100% for restoring water and electricity in Iraq and helping with basic needs, but these other expenses are questionable considering we have 47 million people in poverty or right above the poverty line in the United States (according to this same ABC news report). Also, 17% of all children in the United States live in poverty. This report considered a family of four living off a mere 18,100 or less to be "living in poverty".

Ity is easy for us to sit and critisize how we use our money. Very easy when we are all involved in education, and see how money can transform the system. First, I want to state that I was opposed to the war in Iraq. Second, for us to give them just barely enough to survive, after tearing apart their country is absurd. I think that we could spend a little less money over their, but thats because many of their people refuse to help rebuild their own country. Motivating them could help us. However, I get tired of hearing everyone say, we spend too much on military every class. I agree we spend more than we should, but I believe we need money for a good defense. We do not live in an ideal world, and we need to be armer and ready to protect ourselves. I want to reiterate that I am opposed to Bush. I believe he is spending the military budget in the wrong place, in a selfish matter, and is basically dumb. However, if we don't spend money to protect ourselves, than our money on education is useless, because we are susceptible to attack. People like Osama Bin Laden, and most of the muslim world, would love to see us fall.

I agree that some of that money spent in Iraq for zip codes and fluff could be better spent. I am always for spending money smartly - and I am always against big bureaucracy, no matter what government program we are talking about. We can throw millions of dollars at a problem, but still not solve the problem. For example, the big "War on Poverty" proclaimed back in the 60's - millions and probably billions have been spent, but the plight of the poor remains. We need to find out what works, and invest money in those solutions, no matter who comes up with the ideas - whether we are talking about defense, housing, education, poverty, literacy, crime, whatever.

The terrorist threats to our country are real in my mind, and I believe we need a strong military. There are too many countries "out there" that hate us!

It is sad, our (lower ranking) people in military make terribly low wages - so much so that they are discouraged from marrying when they are in the lower ranks. Many of the highly skilled people in the military could make much more in the private sector.

My son is going into the Navy soon, so this subject will hit close to home!