I have often pointed out our military spending is as high as it was during WWII, when adjusted for inflation, and yet we are not in a World War.
A lot of that high spending is because of the same reasons which have caused our health care costs to skyrocket. Bigger and better, and therefore more costly, gadgets.
I think our allies need to start picking up their own defense tab. The reason Europe is able to afford so many social welfare programs is because the US is subsidizing those programs on the backs of our taxpayers by picking up the cost of their defense.
If we threw the cost of their defense onto their budgets, Europe's "safety net" would come crashing down to Earth.
So let's do that. Stop paying for everyone else's defense. Stop subsidizing their safety nets as they look down their noses at us.
Excellent point...one that is completely lost by liberal loons when people consider the cost of healthcare in Europe compared to U.S. As you say the reason Europe AND Canada can afford so many social programs is because their military budgets are tiny compared to what it would be if America did not exist, or we only protected ourselves.
I absolutely believe all countries beniffiting from U.S. protection should have to pay America for that service...and tax the citizenry to pay for it.