So, some insightful friends are making their points heard regarding government waste. They were conspicuously radio-silent in years past when I pointed out that we were spending ridiculous amounts of money, some off budget in endless, no objective military engagements. So, lest the opportunity be lost, lets put in perspective. $394 million is the GAO cost estimate for ACA website. Lets assume for the moment that they spend an additional $200 million to fix the site and have it functional as intended (probably BS but estimate high for illustration). Thats ~$600 million with a general objective to have healthcare coverage for all Americans, put an end to insurer administrative overruns, end preexisting condition exclusions. In contrast, the naysayers were nowhere to be found over the following: Iraq-twelve years of war effort includes ~$800BILLION in direct dod allocations, plus another ~$800BILLION in increased base dod spend, VA costs, and short term interest expense. A total cost in current time frame ~$1.6TRILLION, with long term interest costs and future VA costs that likely push the true cost to ~$3.9TRILLION. Afghanistan-ten years of war effort includes ~$650BILLION in direct dod allocations, plus another ~$350BILLION in increased base dod spend, VA costs, and short term interest expense. A total cost in current time frame ~$1TRILLION, with long term interest costs and future VA costs that likely push the true cost to ~$2.3TRILLION. Thats a combined ~$2.2TRILLION spend to date or ~$6.1TRILLION in total program costs. So, is $600million a number smaller or larger than $6.1trillion? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Are these numbers even close to the same? If were really interested in waste where is the larger waste to be found: an ill-prepared effort with a laudable goal to provide healthcare coverage for all and save American lives? Or, a no-objective deployment of troops in an endless engagement were thousands of Americans die and tens of thousands of their populations die? Are we serious? Or, just playing dumbass partisan games at the expense of the rest of the world and ourselves too?
Posted on: Thu, 24 Oct 2013 02:59:26 +0000
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