History has shown in many different countries that military spending gives a real boost initially but ultimately the things you're producing hurt the nation drastically. They are expendible items - bombs, rockets, tanks. Their production, unlike machine parts, roads, houses, factories, etc., doesn't lead to and benefit other industries. Every military item you create has other major costs associated with it's upkeep and handling. Fly an F16 around for a day and take a look at your fuel costs. Consider how many men it requires to ensure security on just one nuclear bomb.
Yes, the people that are building and designing armaments are collecting pay and spending that money in our country but their salaries are ultimately coming from the recipients of their spending in the first place so it's really an even exchange. The only benefit I can see to society in creating military hardware is the occasional accidental scientific discovery in truly beneficial areas. I think though that if you balance the harm against the benefit the harm wins hands down.
Stimulating the economy with massive debt sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.
Art
Current Events » in reply to Okay, let me get this straight: the new story is that the war in Iraq is stimulating the economy??
re: Okay, let me get this straight: the new story is that the war in Iraq is stimulating the economy??
The whole thread (37 posts)
- More economics
- Some Real Comparisons
- So Only Independents Can Read Graphs?
- I never say "me too". You were doing a good job and I had nothing to add.
- Okay, let's simplify:
- re: Some Real Comparisons
- So Only Independents Can Read Graphs?
- What BS
- War and deficit spending have been the last refuge of desperate politicians stimulating an economy. (n/t)
- Tax rate reductions spurring the economy and resulting in higher revenues is nothing new
- Some Real Comparisons