After World War II, the U.S. set its sights on becoming the dominant superpower. As a benevolent dictator—an enlightened hegemon—it would spread peace and prosperity across the globe. Its first objective was to defeat what it perceived as the No. 1 threat to the economic and political system it represented, which was capitalism and democracy, that being communism.
After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the U.S. decided to leverage its new positioning as the world’s most militarily and economically powerful nation into becoming a full-blown empire. This was the beginning of a period of unprecedented military expansion, i.e. endless wars and defense budget increases which have now all but bankrupted the country. There are a lot of narratives out there about why things are as they are, why the economy is poised on the verge of collapse, but the one offered by War Is Making Us Poor makes the most sense. At least it explains why the excesses of DOD funding is the main reason for many of our current crises.
This short, powerful book, War Is Making Us Poor, packs more punch and understanding than volumes ten times its size. It presents unmistakable proof of the mess our country is in, and it points the finger at rampant, accelerating militarism. The sub-title is “Militarism Is Destroying the U.S.”
Why aren’t people talking about this? Why is this never discussed or debated in the mainstream media?
The “War Is Making Us Poor” campaign is the beginning of this necessary, vital conversation.
Why did I write this book at this time?
It’s simple.
America is at the end of its ropes. It’s in a tailspin. It’s accelerating its own decline and demise. If we as a nation are not consumed by a nuclear war, then we will be cannibalized by horrible policies which will eventually lead to our destruction as a functioning nation.
Our fortunes are declining on every front. Our international standing is plummeting. Our power is shrinking. Our economic viability is fatally compromised. As a society, we are unraveling, increasingly more divided, constantly bickering and at each other’s throats. Desperation is the new normal. We are losing our sense of what it is to be “an American”.
While not the sole cause, it is our military and foreign policy which is largely responsible. We have lost our perspective and are now incapable of cooperation with and respect for other countries. We see the main thrust of this in our militarization both overseas and at home, and our exclusive exercise of military power when dealing with the rest of the world. It’s our way or bombs away. Now with our provoking Russia and China, we are crossing existential red lines. It’s Russian Roulette with bullets in every chamber.
Domestically, the U.S.—despite the propaganda and spin—is a mess. A crash—a HUGE crash—is coming. The U.S. as a country is becoming insolvent. Individually, we are in debt up to our eyebrows. And both are only getting worse. The U.S. now pays $1 trillion annually just to service the national debt. That debt is increasing by $1 trillion every three to four months. As individual citizens, with inflation so severe, people are so overwhelmed, they’re charging food on their credit cards. There’s no end in sight to any of this, other than a complete implosion.
In order to slow, and hopefully prevent, our complete bankruptcy, I say we have to target the DOD. As I explain in the book:
“Can we blame all of America’s crises and deficiencies on the military? Perhaps not directly. But we certainly can blame our chronic inability to find the money to fix things on the endless wars and exorbitant DOD budgets.”
The DOD consumes the biggest portion of our national budget. That makes it the “Achilles heel” for the entire edifice of catastrophic priorities.
Folks, it’s time to get real. We’re at an existential moment in our history as a nation and society. If we don’t begin to act decisively and immediately, then it’s all over.
Understand, our current national leaders will not solve the problem. They continue to exacerbate the problem. They are the problem. At the end of this very short volume, I’m offering a controversial but realistic proposal. It’s a modest beginning but at least it’s a beginning. I see nothing else out there other than whining and pleading to the very people who are responsible for the disaster, an exercise in futility.
We can still save America from collapse. But hesitation, no matter how conveniently rationalized, will guarantee failure.
For a link to the book, click here. To read the about the book and it’s overall message, visit the website.
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