SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Politics : A US National Health Care System?
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  
To: Alighieri who wrote (16441)4/8/2010 1:12:59 PM
From: TimF  Read Replies (1) of 42652
 
Mostly OT

South Korea isn't the best example. They still spend a fairly solid chunk on their military. Not a large chunk, its in a lower percentage of the GDP than we spend, but its much more than Japan, or a number of European countries. Also the forces we have in place in Korea have gone way down. Korea now bears not just the majority of the burden of its own defense but an overwhelming majority of it.

As for beating us economically, well South Korea is still noticeably poorer than the US. And the idea that spending one and a half percent less of their GDP on defense is going to cause them to pass us seems rather unreasonable.

Decades ago government spending was mostly about the military (a majority in WWII, almost half and the biggest category by far early in the cold war), and the idea that burden of defense was such a huge issue would make more sense. Now its such a declining factor that even if we do spend to much (and I could argue against the idea), it shouldn't really be our main focus if our aim is to contain government spending and deficits. Argue for cuts if you want to, but don't except such cuts to make a huge difference in our fiscal situation even if congress refrains from taking the money and spending it elsewhere.
Report TOU ViolationShare This Post
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  

HomeMailHotSubjectMarksPeopleMarksKeepersSettings
Terms Of UseContact UsCopyright/IP PolicyPrivacy PolicyAbout UsFAQAdvertise on SI
© 2025 Knight Sac Media.  Data provided by Twelve Data, Alpha Vantage, and CityFALCON News