One HUGE Reason To Protest Your Income Tax

[Orwellian_Ghost]

Each year War Resisters League analyzes federal funds outlays as presented in detailed tables in “Analytical Perspectives” of the Budget of the United States Government. Our analysis is based on federal funds, which do not include trust funds — such as Social Security — that are raised separately from income taxes for specific purposes. What you pay (or don’t pay) by April 15, 2009, goes to the federal funds portion of the budget.







The pie chart here highlights 51% average annual military spending based on our research over 20 years. The Obama administration is releasing the 2010 budget in late March and the new analysis will be posted on our website in April 2009. Over the summer Congress will debate the budget details and is mandated to pass a final budget by October 1, 2009.

While we do not expect the military percentage to change much, Obama’s 2010 budget presentation should include funding for the bank bailout, takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the stimulus package. The Bush administration (with little Congressional opposition) refused to budget for the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the wider war on terror, intentionally hiding the full monetary costs of their criminal activities. We must demand that all future administration present a more complete and honest budget than we have seen in recent years.

See www.warresisters.org/federalpiechart for an analysis of the 2010 budget after it is released in March. There are also more details on our methodology and the assumptions behind it.

"The largest spending bill in history is going to turn out to be the war in Iraq... I don't understand why... building a road, building a school, helping somebody get health care, that's wasteful spending, but that war in Iraq... is going to cost us over $1 trillion before we're through...
"Congressman Barney Frank
“This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” ABC, 2/1/09

http://www.warresisters.org/federalpiechartdetails

[roamer65]

1. Bump to a true progressive...

from a democratic socialist.

[Kali]

2. yep

k & r

[theophilus]

3. Dems should jump on this and organize tax protests to dwarf the baggers little rallies.

The emphasis should be on the horrible amount of tax dollars going to the Military Industrial Complex. It would take the wind, if any, out of the baggers' sails.

[TBF]

4. I absolutely agree - I have no problem with paying income tax

but I'd love to see some of that money actually go to help people rather than killing them.

[unblock]

5. that's not even true.

far less than 51% goes to WAR. the rest of that 51% is waste and welfare for military contractors.

much of the military budget goes to extravagent payoffs to military contractors in exchange for campaign contributions. the military-industrial complex is used by many congresscritters as a welfare program for the rich and a makework jobs program for their constituents. seriously, a very key consideration in garnering congressional approval for a big-budget military toy is how many jobs will it produce and in whose district. winning bids are carefully crafted to put those jobs in just the right districts and states.

if the government gives someone a job saving lives, saving the planet, or otherwise doing good, that's welfare or socialism or pork or damn liberal spending even if it's only 1% of the budget. but if the government gives someone a job killing people, then you're a traitor to even question the price tag, even if it's 51% of the budget.