Bush plans big budget request - now $80 bil.

[dArKeR]

U.S. President George W. Bush wants billions of dollars more to pay for U.S. troops in Iraq and rebuilding the country, and congressional aides say the figure could top $80-billion (U.S.) in the upcoming budget year.

Mr. Bush, who will discuss Iraq and the terrorism fight in a nationally televised address from the White House on Sunday night, believes the "cost of freedom and the cost of peace cannot be measured and that it is important that we put adequate resources to this task," national security adviser Condoleezza Rice said.

The President is talking with lawmakers about what is needed and working on ways to increase the participation of Iraqis and other nations in stabilizing and reconstructing Iraq, Ms. Rice said.

http://theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030907.wspeech0907/BNStory/Front/

As our country falls into ruins. I really don't think 80% of Americans realize the relationship to this $80 bil. and their pay checks or what else could have been done with the money.

I remember my first pay checks I got as a teenager. I never even looked at the deductions. I only looked at the cash value and was happy with that. I personally did/do not realize/appreciate the full concept of the deductions. I just accepted it as 'normal' for decades. In my opinion, 80% of the people think of the government as something that is just there and it's free or is paid for by magic.

[ixion]

1. It makes me very sad

to know that most of my tax dollars winds up in the pockets of the Carlyle Group and Haliburton. :grr:

[RealityDose]

2. Education

We only spend $54 billion on education.

I wonder if there has been any thought to compensating the Iraqis. If for every Iraqi killed or maimed we gave them or their family $10000, we would certainly be able to leave Iraq much sooner because it would make us look much better. Ans that would be equivalent in cost for our troops to be there 1 day. I bet the problem is the administration does not want to bring attention to the Iraqis hurt by this "liberation".

[markses]

3. "The cost of freedom and peace cannot be measured."

The cost of your ill-conceived tax cut, however, can be measured to each red cent, you scurrilous prick.

[FauxNewsBlues]

4. Would you try $87 billion?

That is what the AP is reporting. The man should be shot. I am a peace loving person usually too. He is literally destroying our future, while he is killing people. Is there not one decent Republican leader in the country who will help stop the madness? Bush is an alcoholic. Alcoholics often have enablers. The GOP leadership is enabling him to destroy our future. Trash the environment. Trash our alliances, trash everything, our values. I want to tear my hair out.

[cliss]

5. That's not the worst of it

Keep in mind how other nations are watching this debacle. They're keenly aware of this disaster. We're pouring money down a black hole. Not all nations are our friends.

While Bush is pushing us over the abyss, military leaders are having meetings about our state of affairs. They know only too well we don't have enough manpower to handle Iraq. They know we don't have enough money to pay for this military adventure which has only started.

In the meantime, 7,500 miles away, military planners discuss our vulnerable state. "Give them another year", they say. "Then, let's......."