The F-35 vs. "Let's face it, we're broke"

Dear Mr. President,

The Canadians just hit the reset button on the purchase of 65 F-35 fighter jets. Even conservative PM, Stephen Harper, is having trouble swallowing the new projection of $42 billion to buy and operate them over their projected lifetime of 42 years, up from an original estimate of $6 billion. Italy cut back their order by 30% and Britain, Australia and the Netherlands delayed a decision because of the cost, so the Pentagon talked Israel and Japan into taking up the slack—no doubt funded by U.S. dollars. New weapon systems are notorious for cost overruns and delays and the F-35 is no exception, but the Pentagon still plans to purchase 2,443 of them at a cost of $396 billion, “the most expensive weapons system in history” according to today’s New York Times. A few days ago, after a mano-a-mano meeting with you, Boehner said, “Let’s face it, we’re broke.” No wonder. The Pentagon sucks more than $700 billion a year out of the economy and for what? To create more death and destruction and jihadists who hate the U.S. We have more than 1,000 bases, large and small, around the world—in addition to 4,000 in the U.S.—and the cost to garrison troops in these overseas bases runs anywhere from $150 to $250 billion a year (did you know the Defense Department is the only government agency unable to pass a federal audit?) and yet, “Let’s face it, we’re broke.” We’re not broke when it comes to the DoD—they’re building bases all over the planet; for example, a 145-acre $500 million base in Vicenza, Italy, and they’re funding a new 5-story subterranean complex for the Israeli Air Force near Tel Aviv at a cost of $100 million. We’re broke only when it comes to spending for social services, things like health care, education, unemployment or helping homeowners who got sucked into loans they couldn’t afford by banksters (who got bailed out by our tax dollars while the homeowners were left to twist in the wind). We can afford to fire 4 Hellfire missiles at a cost of $274,000 to kill 3 suspected insurgents in Pakistan, but we cut child healthcare here in California for lack of funds. Our priorities are screwed up, Mr. President. Instead of poring over the people you want assassinated, you need to pore over ways to help Americans suffering from the maldistribution of wealth. Instead of bickering with Boehner over a 4% tax increase on the rich, you need to fight for a 70% tax rate on them, what it was back in Nixontime. Stop funding death and start funding peace.