The Tax Man Calls!
The Cost of Empire:
Fund More Wars?
It’s tax time and the war drums are beating. It’s time to remind ourselves that nearly 50 cents out of every U.S. income tax dollar is war related. This, despite government tricks to distort the military portion downward by including social security trust funds into the budget to make the pie look bigger and the military portion smaller. Social security funds are raised and spent separately from income taxes and should not be included in the discretionary budget pie. It should be noted that 80% of the interest on the national debt is war related, and that many average working people pay a higher rate of taxes than big corporations and the super-rich. (For more details on Where Your Income Tax Money Really Goes see www.warresisters.org) How do we fix the deficit. It’s rather simple: End the wars and tax corporations and the rich!
The cost of Empire is indeed high. The U.S spends as much on its military than all other nations combined. For U.S. Federal Budget 2013 Fiscal Year the figure is $1,355 BILLION. That’s $1 TRILLION 355 BILLION on the U.S. War Machine! The so called U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is the largest consumer of oil in the world. The U.S. empire keeps waging more and more wars for oil and domination disguised as humanitarian missions for freedom and democracy.
Now Syria and Iran are in the U.S. Empire cross hairs for attack if regime change cannot be achieved through more covert means and the use of surrogates – mercenary terrorists. The U.S. goal is to install client states for the benefit of corporate interests and control of the region as a hedge against Russia and China. The U.S. model for regime change in Syria appears to be Libya, while Iran seems to be headed for a pre-emptive attack by Israel and the U.S. modeled after the “Shock and Awe” attack on Iraq. Massive!
I would suggest the following articles for more perspective on the situation in Syria:
“Expect War. It’s Coming”By Stephen Lendmanhttp://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article31055.htm
“Bogus ‘Ceasefire’ in Syria as Washington Prepares War Pretext”By Adam Ford http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article31053.htm
War! What is it good for? It’s good for military contractors. Follow the money! Lockheed Martin FY2010 $11 Billion, Northrop Grumman $8 Billion, Boeing $5 Billion. More than 200,000 private contractors, hired by corporations with Pentagon money, carry on what is now called “overseas contingency operations.” Pentagon contracts awarded without competition topped $140 Billion in 2010. Simply put, it’s Wall Street = War Street!
End the Wars! Tax the Rich! Resist!
1. Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject war as a solution. 3. Defend civil liberties. 4. Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, etc.
5. Seek peace through justice in Hawai’i and around the world.
Contact: Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box AB Kurtistown, Hawai’i 96760.
Phone 808-966-7622. Email ja@malu-aina.org http://www.malu-aina.org
Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (April 13, 2012 – 551st week) -Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office
