We Need To Talk.

[unhappycamper]

This one sentence in an article grabbed my attention (as it should yours).

F-35 Still Over Budget, But Engines Now Cheaper

One line from this article sez:

The F-35 program is running at $400 billion, well over budget. The plane, built by Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT), is behind schedule as well.

How much is $400 billion dollars? How can we show the impact of what we cannot do because we are still buying these things?

Let me take a cut at it. For every one million dollars we spend on any military project whether it be for new gear or bombing/invasion/occupation, we could give (outright) $50 grand ($50,000) to 20 individuals. Every one billion dollars we spend equals 20,000 $50 grand jobs/handouts, whatever.

$400 billion is the equivalent of eight million $50 grand jobs/handouts, whatever.

Using those same ideas, what's the impact of our new stealth Zumwalt-class destroyers? Wikipedia sez these things cost US$3.45 billion each. I think that number is a coupla billion low, but:

$3.45 billion = (3 x 20,000) + (.45 x 20,000) = 69,000 $50 grand jobs/handouts, whatever.

It's simple:

One million dollars of military spending = 20 $50 grand jobs/handouts, whatever.
One billion dollars of military spending = 20,000 $50 grand jobs/handouts, whatever.

It's time to call your congresscritter.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. And think of what we could achieve if we spent

that same money on first training those people, then employing them at that $50k in fixing infrastructure, building solar and windmills, performing guided research.

Most people don't want to simply be handed that money, they want to feel they've done something useful in return.

A new, 21rst century WPA is doable, and overdue.

[daleanime]

2. Amen....

It's past time to rebuild America.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

6. I guess they expect us to buy it back first.

[daleanime]

14. No, they would rather have us rent....

must have that continuous money stream don't you know.

[zeemike]

9. And the amazing thing is

That we are still benefiting and using and benefiting from what the WPA and the CCC built over 70 years ago.
The billions we spend for war material and such will wind up in the junk yard or as a destroyer of infrastructure somewhere and will be wasted...but many fat cats will get fatter.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

11. hear, here. times 400 billion. n/t

[daleanime]

3. K&R....

But not hand-outs, work or school.

[ColesCountyDem]

4. But we can't extend unemployment benefits, and have to cut SNAP and veteran's benefits, etc. .

Right.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

5. Chicken feed compared to the bank bailouts...

All told those were the equivalent of the total value of all of the real estate in the entire country.

[unhappycamper]

7. True, but

The money pot used to fund our military comes from the same place that funds stuff like Education, Veterans Benefits, Housing and Community, Health, Science, Transportation, Labor, etc.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

8. I found out the amount we spend on housing is less than officer pay for the Air Force.

[TRoN33]

10. The point of this F-35 program is how we spent on this jet...

Considering the cost of jet vs. the performance of jet. It's beyond terrible ratio. Just like what we did with F-105 Thunderchief during Vietnam, over priced and severely underperformed fighter/bomber. It lost to slower, nimble, and feeble MiG-15/17.

Lesson learned? Apparently not.

[ctsnowman]

12. Thanks for the post.

[Man from Pickens]

13. And worse

the F-35 is inferior to Russian and Chinese planes in the same generation... it's near-useless!

[oldandhappy]

15. I am in favor of schools and hospitals instead of guns and bombs.

But no one asked me!

I think the military production people have the congress firmly tied up in taking care of military spending. I am pretty sure black money/black programs are far more widely in place than we know.

[Rose Siding]

16. Agreed but how do you transition the 100K Lockheed employees?

I've often wondered what cutting off the military industrial complex would do to the economy short term (which is exactly where the public's attention lies)

[oldandhappy]

17. yep You got it!!

[unhappycamper]

19. One Zumwalt-class destroyer can provide 69,000 $50,000 handouts.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1118680

~snip~

Using those same ideas, what's the impact of our new stealth Zumwalt-class destroyers? Wikipedia sez these things cost US$3.45 billion each. I think that number is a coupla billion low, but:

$3.45 billion = (3 x 20,000) + (.45 x 20,000) = 69,000 $50 grand jobs/handouts, whatever.

--

We're just spending what's left of our money on the wrong things.

[littlemissmartypants]

18. As much as I agree... here I'm in NC

You know..the state that is trying to suppress voter's rights, hates teachers, passed the motorcycle vagina bill and loves the military.