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Wasteful Spending Reflects Bush's Misplaced Priorities
Do you have $26,000? I sure don't. But that's how much every American would owe if we had to pay off the U.S. government's current debt that stands at nearly $8 trillion.
We may as well call it "zillion" because that amount is so high, it's hard to imagine it existing. The Bush administration refers to themselves as conservatives who claim to be for smaller government and reduced spending, but this administration is more loose and irresponsible with the country's wallet than a 16-year-old girl with daddy's credit card at the mall.
Many will argue that we're in this spot because Bush had no choice. We were attacked and had to respond. Tax cuts were needed to help the economy. We have to go to the Moon to continue our space exploration program. We need a special division in the FBI for investigating adult porn.
Say what?!
'Tis true, my friends. On July 29, FBI headquarters sent a memo out to all 56 field offices informing them of a new job opportunity. The FBI is hiring for their new anti-obscenity squad. It's not targeting child pornography, but the kind made by and for adults. The new squad will need eight agents, a supervisor and support staff. As one unidentified FBI agent told The Washington Post in a September 20 article, "I guess this means we've won the war on terror. We must not need any more resources for espionage."
Is this wise spending or just another example of Bushıs moral agenda sacrificing the best interest of our nation and our economy? Certainly, a new FBI division costs money to operate and you'd be hard pressed to prove to me how this should be "one of the top priorities" of the FBI, as the memo stated.
But the Bush administration doesn't seem to be concerned about spending. Their $104 billion dollar plan to send Americans back to the Moon was announced in September, as well. With a monster deficit and with possibly $200 billion needed to recover from devastating Hurricane Katrina, should we really be discussing spending of that level at this time?
Of course, Bush certainly won't consider pulling back his tax cuts (that benefit the wealthy) despite our increasing deficit. We're not leaving Iraq anytime soon and the cost of that Bush-induced disaster is approaching $200 billion.
With the insult-to-injury of late September's Hurricane Rita likely to cost our country billions more, it's time for the Bush administration to get their priorities straight. It's time to roll back the tax cuts, get the hell out of Iraq and truly consider what's in the best interest of our country's citizens–and not just the rich, corporate supporters who stuff our legislators' pockets full of cash.
Email your feedback on this article to editor@impactpress.com.
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