Congress's Nuclear Bunker: Just for Congress, Not for Your Healthcare
When The Independent reports on a lavish, once-secret bunker beneath West Virginia's Greenbrier resort, built to house Congress after a nuclear strike, the underlying message is clear: some lives are worth saving. This Cold War relic, now a tourist attraction, stands as a monument to institutional self-preservation, complete with 25-tonne blast doors and all the amenities needed for governance.
Yet, while Congress planned for their own survival from atomic fallout, they historically funded the very nuclear arsenals that threatened humanity, often prioritizing defense contractor profits over social safety nets or actual preventative diplomacy. It's a stark contrast to the millions who'd face nuclear winter with only vague government advisories and perhaps a few rolls of duct tape. One
might wonder if the same foresight demonstrated in commissioning a presidential-level bunker for 535 individuals extends to, say, comprehensive healthcare or robust environmental protections for the other 330 million Americans. Or perhaps the 2023 Congressional vote to appropriate $9.7 billion to build the B-21 Raider nuclear stealth bomber, a project benefiting companies like Northrop Grumman,
shows that ensuring their bunker remains relevant is the real priority. (Source: Arms Control Association, 2023 B-21 Bomber funding). Why would they secure your future when their own is so meticulously planned?