While I can sympathize, it’s an unrealistic comparison. To start, at what point in your life have your taxes been used on something tangible you wanted to happen, with a local focus? I hear people make the comment we should use that money to help our vets or help our homeless. It’s a cute statement, but it is unrealistic.
First, building projects like the one you listed are dispersed first to the state by the government, then the state government has to decide to send that portion to the city locale and it has to get passed the city govt spending projects, with the winning bid being building up dilapidated buildings in the Bronx in a time when private industry is already heavily investing in local revitalization projects, some call gentrification. In 2022, the Bronx saw a record dollar volume invested and the 2nd most transactions ever recorded with $1.54 billion in investment, all private business.
Second, while we’d all like to see a record amount spent on vets or homeless or homeless vets…it never happens. First, the GOP is trying to make homelessness illegal throughout the country (Alarm as US states pass ‘very concerning’ anti-homeless laws | US news | The Guardian), so they’re not investing in the homeless. They’re trying to put them into prison (don’t forget over 4,100 private corporations use prison labor, essentially for free-Private Companies Producing with US Prison Labor in 2020: Prison Labor in the US, Part II — Corporate Accountability Lab). The Democrats try sometimes to help the homeless, but nothing appears to work.
As far as veterans, while the GOP routinely plays up support for vets, their voting record consistently proves otherwise. From basic funding of the VA to funding veterans exposed to burn pits to even trying to stop funding to 9/11 families…it’s always the same.
Proposed GOP cuts would slash $30 billion from veterans spending
Republicans reject spending bill for veterans exposed to 'burn pits,' toxins - ABC News
Republicans vow not to cut veterans’ benefits. But the legislation suggests otherwise.
List of 30 Republicans Who Voted Against Money for 9/11 Victims' Families
When, exactly, have you ever seen your tax dollars spent on something local that was a benefit to more than a small number of people? I never have. I’d love to, but until we cut private funding of campaigns, eliminate PACs and stop pretending corporations are people, we’re shit out of luck.
The reality, however, is that Russia has been involved in 8 intrusions into sovereign territory since Putin took over. They have made no secret about wanting to bring back the Soviet Empire and those who were previously associated back into their fold. That includes several NATO territories, with even their Defense Minister saying, outright, Poland is next. That would mean WW3.
The scariest part of this is seeing that in Ukraine, Russia simply isn’t good at fighting anymore. They marched directly into Keiv and realized they didn’t bring fuel, ran out of gas. They marched back to Russia to procure fuel, got back to their 3 mile military caravan of havoc and refueled. Then, they realized they didn’t bring food. They marched back to Russia to get food for their 3 mile caravan. They’ve lost 300,000 so far fighting Ukraine alone. This means, once they get passed Ukraine, engage NATO, they’re only recourse for not getting slaughtered is using nuclear weapons. This is a strategic move to weaken their military to the point that advancing beyond Ukraine is unrealistic and preventing WW3.
Finally, most of the money being spent in Ukraine isn’t being sent as skids of dollars, like the GOP did in Iraq and Afghanistan. 90% is being spent within the United States via military contractors and refurbishing our own weaponry. Most of the time, we’re sending our older weaponry to Ukraine and then buying new from military contractors. The point is, most of it is being spent within our own borders.
Further, we flat out told Ukraine after the fall of the Soviet Empire that if they gave up the nukes, we’d protect them.
Contrast this to the Trump version of what he wants to happen. He said he’d not only allow but encourage Putin to attack NATO allies if they don’t pay “their dues.” Of course, there are no dues in NATO. He views our allies as enemies and our enemies as HIS allies. He wants to use our military as a mercenary force, sold to the highest bidder…and not even bidding to pay the US, bidding to pay him.
He would have handed Ukraine over to Putin, and probably tried to stop Finland, Sweden, etc from joining NATO.
I can understand the frustration with the amount of money involved, though we did just spend more than 20 years in two wars started by the GOP, with little to no benefit in any way, whatsoever. The only people it helped were the corporations like Halliburton, Blackwater and the warlords who we paid with skids of cash. At least this has a benefit which helps the world, our allies, us and does more than anything else we could do to stall or prevent WW3.
My two cents
