$225 billion and counting for Iraq . . . Could your town use that money?

I think that we need to show where the occupation is directly affecting us by highlighting the disparity in the amount we spend on Iraq's infrastructure (edit: and on the war in general) and the amount the republicans are contemplating cutting from the domestic budget here at home. That could help galvanize opposition to the occupation and get folks more involved in efforts to bring the troops home.

In key states with economic distress, the numbers serving in Iraq are high, as well as in the sparsely populated 'blue' states. The casualties impact these states in ways that that make opposition to Bush a visceral issue rather than an intellectual one. But, also, the economic distress in these states makes the citizens there more sensitive to the disparity in tax dollars going to Iraq and the money lacking in their own communities.

Costof war.com has an excellent database that can be used to pinpoint the direct impact of money spent in Iraq on a state's discretionary spending.

:beer:

some $ from what I've read.

the deferred payments, which are coming due, with many folks now in jeopardy of losing their homes (but this time due to cold hearts & greed instead of a hurricane). Not to mention the homeless thousands and the still-ravaged areas still without necessities. No, no - instead, 3+ billion MORE is being asked for Iraq, while in hearings this week on the Hill, the Katrina survivors are treated like LIARS...:grr:

There's a lot of emotion that can be generated around the needs that have been given short shrift in America compared to the money Bush lavishes on military spending for Iraq and Afghanistan. New Orleans is a tragic portrait of miserly neglect.

but I have no sympathy...NONE...for the Red Voters who will lose their homes.
Fuck 'em. They made their bed (and mine) on Election Day. If I gotta lie in that bed, damn as hell they are gonna, too!! They decided that their own economic self-interest was not as important to them as hurting the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people yet again, so I have no sympathy for them. sorry, I only give sympathy to those who show it to others.

Hope the red-voting bastards DO lose their homes! Maybe THAT will learn 'em a lesson! And make 'em QUIT VOTING FOR REPUKES!!

These links are sincerely cool!!

I have bookmarked them both! Now, we gotta find a way to make even MORE people see this stuff!!

And we gotta keep hammering it and hammering it and hammering it.

We gotta take down the Repukes...this could be the albatross we can finally hang around their filthy necks!!

I'd like to see Democrats in communities come together, to build some billboards with the figures running, just like on the web site. And HAMMER THIS MESSAGE!!!

Put it up on major freeways! Make sure everyone sees it and gets as disgusted as we are with the Repukes! Let everyone know that the Repukes DO NOT SHARE THE VALUES AND CONCERNS OF JOE SIXPACK!!

It's doesn't address all of the problems with the war, but it is a good way to get folks who may be immune to the deaths and the chaos to tune in to efforts to put an end to the money hole that keeps this thing going. The money that goes into Iraq is actually the primary lever Congress is tasked to exercise in wartime. Cut off the funds and you dry up the occupation.

Damn!

Only a fraction has been spent. Murtha says they want 100 bil more.