That’s right. Eleven zeros. New estimates out this week by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office place the cost of the Iraq occupation through 2017 at 2.4 TRILLION dollars, or put another way, $8,000 for every man, woman and child in the US. And that does not include the interest on the foreign loans being used to finance it so that the top 1% can still enjoy their tax cuts.
Remember Wolfowitz claiming that the war would pay for itself? HA!
The House Budget Committee held a hearing today to discuss the growing costs of this occupation. Get this: the Republicans on the committee didn’t even bother to show up.
Rep. Doggett: “I assume, by Mr. Ryan being here, that every member of this panel, including every Republican member on that side of the aisle where all the seats are vacant, received notice about this hearing about the cost of war in Iraq?”
Chairman Spratt: “I’m sure they did.”
Rep. Doggett: “And when was this notice of the hearing sent out?”
Chairman Spratt: “Seven days ago, as required by the rules.”
The Gavel also provides these comparables:
$2.4 trillion is enough to:
· Provide every college freshman in the country with a free, four year education at a private college or university
· Provide health care coverage to every American for one year
· Pay off 26% of our current national debt
And the Republicans want to tell us they’re the Party of Fiscal Responsibility? What are they smoking?
Filed Under: Committees, Economy, Government Policy, Iraq, The House, War Coverage
No Trackbacks To “$2,400,000,000,000“
I keep telling Durbin, the Democrats need to roll out the footage of the Bushies and the MSM promising the American people that the war in Iraq wouldn’t cost us a cent.
“What are they smoking?”
Crack with their bffs sounds right.
They’re literally smoking in the boys room, smoking dicks! I’m so happy that we spent our money/future/honor so wisely. Where’s the prez when you want to give him a big hug?
Larry Craig smokes cock in men’s restroom stalls.
argh!
Of course Governor Bush ( his last elected office ) could always use his execuhtiv privlidge
or a sighnin statement to tap Social Security funds in order to temporarily satiate his
necrophilia.
Naw, he couldn’t do that. The Democrats in Congress wouldn’t stand for it.
On the other hand……
Allen McDonald, El Galloviejo®
They’re probably smoking dope. That would be another behavior that they condemn in anyone else, but that they engage in themselves.
GOP = FUCK THE AMERICAN PUBLIC
this war is done, we the people of the United States of America are done with
the deceipt and lies of the bushco. we also declare that bush and cheney
should be IMPEACHED NOW.
“What are they smoking?”
Nothing.They’re heavily into the pharmaceuticals.
Yet there were congressional measures taken to condemn MoveOn.org, and to rename french fries to freedom fries.
What in holy hell will it take before this country’s people wake up and take it all back?
But as we all know, the Bush administration is 99.9% efficient and corruption free, so that means only about $2,400,000,000 of that has gone into someone’s pocket.
Now that is a lot of shiny toys for making bang bangs and innocent peoples dead !!
Cons didn’t turn up, meh, maybe the dems shouldn’t show up for the funding vote ?……..
What are they smoking?
These Republican jokers are on crack!
And when, kind sirs, are the pussy Dems going to do something about it, instead of constantly singing, “But we don’t have the votes, tra-la-la…”. And I thought I was a fucking maroon (with apologies to my idol, Bugs Bunny).
Beyond sick.
Just another nail in the US coffin. Just wait until China…and to a lesser extent, Japan…decide they want their money.
This country is about to become one giant f**ked up place. Last one out, turn out the lights.
This spells economic disaster for the US. Bush and his feeble minded henchmen have done the impossible. They have taken the healthiest economy in the world and totally destroyed it. Their “genius” lay in the ability to maintain the power and wealth of the Bush base while destroying the hopes and dreams of the rest of us. I’d like to say that the sob’s will be held accountable. But with Reid and Pelosi leading the Democrats, the best we can hope for is that they’ll not tell the rest of us to apologize for criticizing the thieves and warmongers who have ruined us.
When you’re standing in the bread line, ask the person in front and the person behind you if they voted for Bush or Kerry. If the voted for Bush, shove ‘em out of line and let the hungry mob have at them. That’s about the limit of our response.
Fuck, I’ve never been this depressed or felt this hopeless. Not during the Vietnam War, not during the fabled Carter “malaise”. Not even while Ronnie Raygun was sinking us into a deep debt that it took the senior Bush and Bill Clinton 12 years to dig us out of. I’m glad I’m getting old because this is no longer a country where there’s the young can be hopeful.
Ha HA! Couldnt happen to a nicer country. Karma is a bitch eh?
What patriotic American neo-con wants to ruin a good buzz by showing up for a hearing about financing the war? This is a meeting about the spending $$$, not the stealing of it. God damn what a buzzkill!
Every Democratic candidate for every office coming up for election in 2008 had better use this hearing in their campaign ads and when they go out and talk about the war and how much it is costing. The fucking Republicans DID NOT EVEN SHOW UP!!!!! Get ready for new employment asholes.
What the cons did was decide their version of the world was all that mattered and they did whatever it took to make it happen no matter how slimy, illegal, dishonest, or immoral this past 7 years. “Were doing whats best for America”.
What do we get for the deal? Debt slavery.
I can’t help but wonder how many solar panels or wind turbines 2.4 trillion dollars could have bought and how many manufacturing jobs it could have created in America.
Or maybe, instead of GM, FORD & Chrysler closing multiple plants the US could have helped them become they leader manufacturers of electronic cars. Instead, we’ve got Honda building new plants in America.
U.S. politicians are beholden to oil interests and the politicians are holding America hostage to the status quo rather than innovating and creating a better future for it’s citizens and the world.
Frodo @ 17:
Actually, the people are mostly nice.
Yes, what goes around, comes around. Especially for those who get a giddy delight at laughing at the troubles of others, like you did.
Frodo @ 17:
Wish I could argue with you Frodo. As a society we’ve brought this upon ourselves through our inaction, greed and complacency.
Yep, payback is a bitch but before you get too smug just remember we still have a bunch of maniacs controlling the most deadly arsenal of WMDs in the world. You’d better hope things don’t get too bad for us, ’cause if they do those fools are just likely to use some of that crap and then the whole world takes it in the shorts.
Think positive, peaceful thoughts for all of us. Maybe we can slide through these tremendously dangerous times without some freak pushing the button.
Ho much would Saddam have charged us just to sell us the country?
greg white @ 21:
Whats the Dems vision of whats best for America?
Still waiting.
Lollimom @ 22:
Nice and stupid. (Being one myself, I’m not poking fun at them)
“Fuck, I’ve never been this depressed or felt this hopeless. Not during the Vietnam War, not during the fabled Carter “malaise”. Not even while Ronnie Raygun was sinking us into a deep debt that it took the senior Bush and Bill Clinton 12 years to dig us out of. I’m glad I’m getting old because this is no longer a country where there’s the young can be hopeful.
Sad, but true. I’d hate to be a kid growing up in this country. Talk about starting out with two and a half strikes. Unreal. A country of optimism and hope is being bitch-slapped into a country of failure and depression. I truly don’t see the situation changing. That mountain of debt is beyond staggering. And like I mentioned earlier, just wait until China and Japan demand their repayment. I think you could be looking at the next Soviet Union. A rusty relic of a once glorious past.
And don’t think for one second the rest of the world won’t enjoy every second of it. They will finally have the bully on its knees…and they’re ready to pound the ever-living shit out of the US. And I don’t blame them at all.
I think we should sue those responsible, get a judgement and attach their assets to pay for this!!!! Take away their ranches, their stocks, their savings, their trucks and anything else they have that we can sell.
Frodo @ 17:
Frodo-This is similar to sanctions. The people who will be hurt by this the most will be the little people, the hoi polloi, not the fuckwits who caused it.
Don’t blame us all-for starters, this GDCSing bunch of criminals seized the country in 2000. They were never elected.
Seems strange to ask why rebups are more fiscal. As far as I can tell dems are just as guilty as republicans on spending money on this war. At least republicans didn’t lie to us all to get elected, only to turn around and approve every dollar that mother fucking in the white house asks for.
Welcome to the United States of China.
L.A. Confidential @ 25:
Haven’t been paying attention?
Yeah, you’re right. It’s much better to ignore complex proposals for healthcare, education, diplomacy, responsible use of military, etc., etc. etc. and just pretend they don’t exist.
After all, those complex proposals are… well, complex, right?
My flu is affecting my typing today, in case you were wondering.
You guys don’t get it: fiscal responsibility is for poor people. Rich people don’t need to be fiscally responsible. That’s what rich means.
Duh.
emerald @ 24, I was thinking much the same thing — how much Iraqi oil could we have bought and paid for on the free market with that $2.4 trillion? Surely enough to tide us over for a few years while we switch to renewables? (That was sarcasm, in case it didn’t come through.)
The Truth Hurts @ 27:
Sad, but true. I’d hate to be a kid growing up in this country. Talk about starting out with two and a half strikes. Unreal. A country of optimism and hope is being bitch-slapped into a country of failure and depression. I truly don’t see the situation changing. That mountain of debt is beyond staggering. And like I mentioned earlier, just wait until China and Japan demand their repayment. I think you could be looking at the next Soviet Union. A rusty relic of a once glorious past.
And don’t think for one second the rest of the world won’t enjoy every second of it. They will finally have the bully on its knees…and they’re ready to pound the ever-living shit out of the US. And I don’t blame them at all.
I’m pretty much with you. We’re falling apart.
Geez, relax people.
The oil revenue will pay for the war.
We will be greeted as liberators and welcomed with open arms because the insurgency is in its last throes.
Besides, the mission is accomplished.
If you want to help your country, go shopping.
What are they smoking…….well….it ain’t the same thing I smoke…that’s for damn sure….8000 dollars……and it’s not even over yet……might as well double it.Or more.One thing for sure is I don’t want no part of these assholes…………………war on drugs???…don’t make me laugh.
L.A. Confidential @ 25:
swarmofkillermonkeys @ 37:
And everyone in the world hates us for our freedoms according to Bush.
That’s RIGHT for you!!! If you support the RIGHT this is what you get…I hope you enjoyed your ass humping, please tune in tomorrow for anther exciting episode of “What’s going on now?” the game show that where you the audience will loose your own money!
Lollimom @ 22:
Voting Bush in twice isn’t generally considered nice……….
Being behind starting this war (what was it initially 70% for killing everyone in the middle east ?) wouldn’t be either …. not revolting and over throwing the government could be considered “not nice” as well.
As for “most” (mostly nice), most of the times I’ve been there (all over the country) and “most” of the people I’ve met Just keep going on about how the USA is the best in the world at everything and everyone should shut up and be grateful that they are around and worship them and how absolutely everything in the US us the best and better than every where else (while it blatantly isn’t), etc. That all Europeans (of which I’m one) are scum, especially the French (best give back the statue of Liberty) Asia is a resource, Russia ….. well typical cold war BS there, though I digress….
The attitude/environment/worldly ignorance I’ve witnessed is so far beyond nauseating I can’t think of the word to describe it. Enough to say that living in Canada temporarily at the moment, when I have to leave and re-enter to renew my visa I fly to Europe and back opposed to crossing the border to the US and back, you couldn’t pay me to go there at the moment, maybe at the end of next year, though when another republican gets in, I’m leaving this continent as the disease that is what is going on there will take down Canada I think, Harper is starting the ball rolling on that one.
So where are the educated, travelled, reasonable ones, regardless of that, with the exception of the code pink girls, who is actually doing anything opposed to talking ?
I heard a comedian the other say saying he was looking at a sign that said “God bless America” thinking :
“Now, see that, there is the issue right there, if that said God bless the world we would live in a much nicer place”.
spit take @ 32:
The Dems are to busy giving Bush everything he wants rather then forcing him to invest these initiatives.
we need to seize the assets of war profitteers and raise the taxes on multi-millionaires to 90% .
L.A. Confidential @ 36:
Seriously, come on now.
Yes, this hurts. Our innocence is finally lost — forever. You can’t just think of Vietnam as a fluke. Bummer.
But the young are always optimists. And this country has shone, and can still shine as the very land of idealism. That’s what this country has always been about. But do you really thing that every other country in the world hasn’t already been through this once with a corrupt leader? Or even a dozen times?
Good lord, just look at the history of the Brittish Empire, and their legacy even today. We screwed up, no doubt about it. So we don’t have a perfect score, and we’re human. So what, we can still lead the world by example. Technology for clean energy. Human rights. And yes, world peace.
The United States can still, is DEMANDED still, make a huge contribution to these areas. Quite simply we can make an impact on them like NO other country right now.
We are and should be frustrated, but just work towards a better future — right now — in your own life until things turn around nationally. We aren’t fallen apart yet, and won’t be as long as ever day my fellow Americans, regular folks, work so hard to stay strong, live well, respect each other, and (eventually) hold these people accountable.
Freedom is never free, and soldiers aren’t the only ones that must fight for it.
tr @ 44:
That can’t happen while Bush is in power. He’ll never go after the profitteers from his own family.
Sounds about right. Dollar devaluation from the 2.267 trillion a leading economist predicted in December.
http://www.rollingstone.com/po....._war/print