re: #79 UberNerd

We spend more on social security (EXCLUDING medicaid, Welfare, etc) than we do on Defense.

In terms of ratio, we’re already spending more at home than abroad.

In terms of effectiveness of that spending at home versus abroad, we kinda suck.

I think “Focus” is the key factor. Besides, the phrase “Provide for the common defense” springs to mind in regards to priority of spending.

re spending more on social security vs defense, a quibble. We budget more for social security than we do for the Department of Defense - $695 Billion to $663.7 Billion, respectively, for 2010. Add the various defense expenditures in other agencies (such as nuclear arms in Department of Energy) and it begins to match the SS, Medicare, etc expenditures even closer.

THAT SAID, there are more clauses that should spring to mind in regards to priority of spending. Things like, “establish justice,” “insure domestic tranquility,” “promote the general welfare,” and “secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity” are of pretty much equal importance.

My opinion, of course.