Where are the Off-sets Mr. Cantor?

Military Spending Waste: Up To $60 Billion In Iraq, Afghanistan War Funds Lost To Poor Planning, Oversight, Fraud

That's right. 60 billion dollars from the US Government to the Afghan insurgency. Money wasted...on what? This report clearly states that an unregulated military adventure has now wasted an incredible amount of money. Let me say that again.... AN UNREGULATED military has been allowed to waste 60 billion dollars on a nation building exersize, against an enemy that is no threat to our security, and doesn't want us to be there.

Much of the waste and fraud could have been avoided with better planning and more aggressive oversight, the commission said.

Where's the outrage? Eric Cantor, Representative in Congress of some of my fellow Virginians has made the news recently when he famously stated his desire to block funding for disaster cleanup of hurricane Irene including his own district in Virginia unless spending off-sets are found. His proposal includes cutting funds for first responders and infrastructure preparation for the NEXT disaster. Where's your press statement about this financial disaster Mr. Cantor? We've just heard today that the military has created a massive boondoggle that will turn out to be 30 TIMES more expensive that the hurricane clean-up you are so concerned about. Where's your press release? Where's the outrage? If you are a fiscal conservative sir, why aren't you on TV with this too?

Mr. Cantor, is your lack of concern because of your belief in a strong military? National Security? I thought you might have said something if we were talking about, say, subsidies to farmers?

The commission cited numerous examples of waste, including a $360 million U.S.-financed agricultural development program in Afghanistan. The effort began as a $60 million project in 2009 to distribute vouchers for wheat seed and fertilizer in drought-stricken areas of northern Afghanistan. The program expanded into the south and east. Soon the U.S. was spending a $1 million a day on the program, creating an environment ripe for waste and abuse, the commission said.

"Paying villagers for what they used to do voluntarily destroyed local initiatives and diverted project goods into Pakistan for resale," the commission said.

Mr. Cantor, I know you are a fan of deregulation. We'd best leave this vast military corporation to run it's own affairs. Congress shouldn't have to look over their shoulder now should they? Because of poor oversight and a heavy reliance on privatization of many of the important functions of the military, we've ended up being a major funder for the very folks the soldiers are fighting.

The Afghan insurgency's second largest funding source after the illegal drug trade is the diversion of money from U.S.-backed construction projects and transportation contracts, according to the commission.

The Associated Press reported earlier this month that U.S. military authorities in Kabul have estimated that $360 million in U.S. tax dollars has ended up in the hands of people the American-led coalition has spent nearly a decade battling: the Taliban, criminals and power brokers with ties to both. The military said that only a small percentage of the $360 million has been garnered by the Taliban and insurgent groups. Most of the money was lost to profiteering, bribery and extortion by criminals and power brokers.

Did I hear the word "privatization?" Mr. Cantor, isn't that your dream for American government? Shouldn't the government get out of the way and let the private sector drive our policy, our economy, and even our military industrial complex? Would you please take a look at this report and let me know what you think of the fine job our private contractors are doing in Afghanistan. Please report on how they are more efficient and fiscally responsible with taxpayer money than the actual military arm of the conflict. Then tell me please why it's ok to squawk and complain about "spending off-sets" for disaster relief for Americans here at home and NOT ok to squawk about 30 TIMES the amount being wasted on our so-called enemy in Afghanistan?

Mr. Cantor, how about every time you want to off-set the expenses for something you don't like, just scoop up some military-industrial-private contractor money to off-set the expense. It's a no-brainer Congressman. Evidently it's pretty easy to do. Taliban tribesmen are eating our lunch, ripping us off, soaking up bribe money in the millions. Why don't you just dip into that large pool of unregulated money and off-set the cost of stuff that might do us some good right here in America? Well Mr. Cantor?

More work to do.

Greg Mitchell: 5 Photos That Must Never Be Repeated: He Took the Only Pictures in Hiroshima on August 6, 1945

Greg Mitchell: 5 Photos That Must Never Be Repeated: He Took the Only Pictures in Hiroshima on August 6, 1945

In the current climate of talk of spending cuts, here's the best motivation for cuts in the military budget. The magnitude of potential destruction of our current nuclear stockpile is enough to destry the entire earth 500 TIMES OVER! Isn't there a better way to spend our tax dollars? May we never forget.

More work to do.

Country Gangstaz | Mother Jones

Country Gangstaz | Mother Jones


With nearly one-fifth of the county's population below the poverty line, some young people here say they see gangs as the most reliable way to make a living. This large recruitment pool, along with ample empty space for clandestine drug and weapon deals and admittedly overwhelmed law enforcement, have led more than a dozen established gangs to set up outposts here.

So add this in with the accomplishments of the "Austerity Now, Austerity Forever" crowd. They've already proven their bones at making terrorists so now they move on to gangs and gang violence. That's right. Continue cutting public education, continue cutting back on public sector jobs, continue sending jobs overseas, continue foreclosing on houses and continue squeezing the poor and middle class and they'll respond in ways that could get pretty ugly. Public education was instituted in large part to solve the problems of poverty, crime, and employment. Public sector jobs constitute and essential portion of the labor market. Cutting all of this is part of the "pain" we must bear according to the plutocrat funders of the Teabaggers.

Listen to the policy discussions going on and you have to listen ever so closely to even hear about the most serious problems facing us as a country, the jobs crisis, the infrastructure crisis, the green energy crisis, and the education crisis. All the talk is about debt. Solving the debt problem helps plutocrats, hurts the people.

The elections in Wisconsin are only the shots across the bow. The mixed results there should only serve to show the difficulty of the task of facing down the ruthless capitalists who care only about "creating a good climate for business," or "rewarding competence." Anytime you see these codes just think, "$$$$$$ we want your $$$$$."

More work to do.

Why Unions Matter: The Numbers | Mother Jones

Why Unions Matter: The Numbers | Mother Jones

At last. Here's the research that shows the effect of union busting on the middle class. It's no surprise to find that without a political force that speaks for everyman, their plight becomes bleak. It's pretty clear, Union busting equals a lower lifestyle, a decrease in wealth, a sicker, hungrier, and poorer middle class. I repeat.... Union busting equals poverty, harder work for lower pay, fewer health benefits, and the most important factor in the decline of a civilization, a huge gap in wealth between the rich and the rest.

We hear a lot about the legacy of debt we will be leaving our granchildren. We hear nothing about the legacy of poverty that will great them in old age. They will have heard stories about great grandad being on something called medicare and about grampa and grandma who lived in town on a small but comfortable pension and entertained them through their childhood. Those days are gone... The future will be much different for the young folk of today.

Thanks Republicans.....

More work to do.

Follow this thread...Democracy is Dying

REPORT: Debt Ceiling Deal Will Cost 1.8 Million Jobs In 2012 | ThinkProgress

The stated goal of the Republican Party is to defeat, destroy, discredit, and demoralize President Obama. The stated goal of their allies in the think tanks and conservative power groups is to destroy shrink the government of the United States. Mission very close to being accomplished. They are using a fundamental strategy. "Put us in charge, or we really make things ugly for everyone." Cynical? Treason? Mad?