Stimulus program cost far more than the Iraq war

[futurebeachbum]

Here's something you don't hear discussed much. The CBO chart is pretty clear.

From the WashingtonExaminer article here:

The meme is simple: The economy is in a shambles because of Bush's economic policies and his war in Iraq. As American Thinker's Randall Hoven points out, that's the message being peddled by lefties as diverse as former Clinton political strategist James Carville, economist Joseph Stiglitz, and The Nation's Washington editor, Christopher Hayes.

The key point in the mantra is an alleged $3 trillion cost for the war. Well, it was expensive to be sure, in both blood and treasure, but, as Hoven notes, the CBO puts the total cost at $709 billion. To put that figure in the proper context of overall spending since the war began in 2003, Hoven provides this handy CBO chart showing the portion of the annual deficit attributable to the conflict:

I was and always will be opposed to either Iraq war, but its a shame that we couldn't have used those billions from the bailout for more than bailing out Wall Street, some misbehaving banks and the UAW.

 

[AndrewG]

No one fully understands how much damage is being done at home.

 

[scooterbug44]

Question, once the money is "spent" on the war and becomes part of the deficit/mounting interest, what color is it in the graph?

I understand what you are saying about it being a smaller percentage AFTER 2007, but that's still a lot of money we spent/poured down a rathole.

 

[futurebeachbum]

Question, once the money is "spent" on the war and becomes part of the deficit/mounting interest, what color is it in the graph?

I understand what you are saying about it being a smaller percentage AFTER 2007, but that's still a lot of money we spent/poured down a rathole.

Absolutely.

The fact that it is a lot and is still dwarfed by the amount of money poured down the 'bailout' rathole is the real story here.