What's a billion?
Next time you hear people use the word 'billion' casually, think about how our government spends money. Put a billion into perspective:
- A billion seconds ago it was 1959.
- A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
- A billion hours ago our ancestors lived in the Stone Age.
- A billion days ago nothing walked on the earth on two feet.
- A billion dollars ago - in U.S. spending- was only 8 hours, 20 minutes ago.
The REAL issues are SPENDING PRIORITIES and FUNDING SOURCES.
The current Administration & Congress inherited a SURPLUS that they have transformed into our current national debt of MORE THAN $10 TRILLION (that's $10 thousand billion).
To fund the hugely famous Bush Tax Cuts, the USA BORROWED MONEY to pay for tax cuts benefitting primarily the wealthy, and STILL BORROWS MONEY to pay for the Iraq War, the first U.S. war in history during which taxes were NOT raised to pay for it (the U.S. still borrows between one and two Billion Dollars a Day ... indebtedness to China, Japan, and others willing to carry our "notes.")
This is "BORROW AND SPEND" Government ... stealing the future from people who must pay down the debt, including children too young to vote.
Good spending is spending to build and repair INFRASTRUCTURE (roads, bridges, railroads, public buildings, libraries, schools, mental health facilities, etc.) This always has a huge pay-back to society, lasting many decades (Oklahoma City's Civic Center Music Hall was built in 1935 by WPA under the Franklin Roosevelt years ... look what it has done for our city!)
Good spending improves PEOPLE's capacity to educate themselves, to become economically self-sufficient, to be healthy, to become contributors, is always a good investment with long-term pay-back. (After my military service, I enjoyed "G.I. Bill" assistance for college and beyond ... I remain grateful today.)
Spending to regulate and reduce environmental degradation, to improve energy efficiencies, to reduce pollution and harmful atmospheric gases makes for a better world for ourselves and future generations (only one Earth, right?)
NATIONAL ELECTIONS ARE TUESDAY, NOV. 4th.
I pray for a huge turn-out and heavy VOTING for a CHANGE.
