Senate Debates Defense Bill, Ignores Skyrocketing Healthcare Costs
Mainstream media frames this as a high-stakes partisan battle over a procedural vote. Yet, the core 'confusion' centers on whether to pass a standalone defense bill or package it with other appropriations. Missing from this crucial debate, of course, is the idea that perhaps, just perhaps, the U.S. doesn't *need* another colossal defense budget when citizens face "skyrocketing health care costs,"
as Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) actually pointed out. (Axios) While Democrats fret over tactical leverage, the steady flow of U.S. taxpayer dollars into the military-industrial complex remains largely unquestioned. The Senate Budget Committee, for instance, approved a $886 billion defense budget in 2023, while perennial campaigns for Medicare for All or affordable housing remain perennial. The
theater isn't about *if* the money will flow, but *how* it's packaged. How many times can we declare our national security is threatened before we admit the biggest threat is our own budget allocation?