“If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.”  It was a plain, no-nonsense bumper sticker, but it says it all.  And, today we discover the cost of ignorance.  There are states that are demanding a “balanced budget amendment” for the federal government.  I understand their frustration.  Largely, however, the problem isn’t how much we are spending but rather what we are spending it on.  Too bad we cannot legislate common sense.

Over sixty percent of our budget goes to the military.  Our taxes support the largest weapons industry in the world.  We have enough soldiers to fight two wars at the same time.  We also have millions of people without any health care.  We have millions more with health insurance they cannot afford to use.  Our schools are falling down.  Many do not have functioning bathrooms and should be condemned.  Kohl has published a picture book of education.  It is old but nothing has changed.  Check it out.  Millions of parents are working two jobs to try to make ends meet.  This means that they are not in the home and caring for their children.  A large part of why children are not doing better in school is because they are not getting the support they need at home.  This has to change.

There is enough money in this country to get the job done.  It is simply not allocated in a way that permits us to do it.  We need an income tax structure that takes money from those who can afford to give it and help those who cannot help themselves.  I am not saying that we tax all the rich folks to the point that they are no longer rich, but there IS a point beyond which can be called ludicrous.  Corporations must also pay their fair share of taxes.  People exist and earn when the environment is stable.  Good government creates that stability.  Everyone benefits from it and it can be said that those who earn a lot benefit more.

“Starving the beast” or slashing government is foolish.  The infrastructure must be maintained.  Without it we become third world.  Education must be improved and the family structure must be improved to get that done.  We can only do that through a more equitable distribution of income.  The cost savings of globalization must be passed on to the consumers, NOT the stockholders or CEOs.  That will allow people to become more productive.

If we spend our tax dollars on improving this country instead of destroying things, we will do two things.  We will see life improve here and around the world AND we will be able to do it with less money than we are spending today.

Now, about deficit spending– it is not good or bad.  What has been bad was spending hundreds of billions of dollars fighting unnecessary wars.  NONE of the Republicans complained about spending ourselves into that hole.  That bankrupted this country.  Our infrastructure has been ignored to the point that it is extremely vulnerable.  Banks are acting contrary to the health of the country.  We are at the point where the government must spend money or this country will collapse.  That point has been made painfully clear by the Republican who held up payments to the unemployed.  Ask those people whose unemployment checks were held up whether the government should borrow money to keep its people alive.

There is one other issue and it is simple.  Fiscal policy is the only way that the government can stimulate the economy.  When no one else is investing in America, the government must.  To require a balanced budget would prevent that.  The reason we have not seen it work is because the government has been spending tax dollars on those things that do NOT improve the country.  THAT is what has to change.  Guns or butter, education or ignorance—it is up to you.  Tell your government to do the right thing— NOW.