Money spent in Iraq

[morerocklesstalk]

I noticed that during the CNN debate Ron Paul mentioned that we are building bridges in Iraq yet our own bridges are deteriorating which I think is a good way to put things for those for continued occupation.

I would like to see these kind of comparision continue. I was thinking that maybe instead of stating how many trillions or billions we are spending overseas that Ron Paul could translate it into statements like...if we took the money we have spent so far in Iraq and put it towards college education for high school graduates we could pay for this many people(perhaps entire graduating classes) for this many years. Maybe base this off the average state college tuition.

I'm not saying that we should pay for people to go to college but I think it easier for people to imagine this than mass amount of billions or trillions.

[Cinderella]

well i kno hitlery has a plan that if u go into human services u can basically work off ur college loans....but i wonder what the other candidates ie, ron paul, has as a plan for college student loans

[morerocklesstalk]

well i kno hitlery has a plan that if u go into human services u can basically work off ur college loans....but i wonder what the other candidates ie, ron paul, has as a plan for college student loans

That wasn't really the point I was trying to get at though.

I am just trying to get people to visualize the money spent in Iraq. I don't think people can really intepret what a billion or trillion dollars would really mean as most of us won't even make that in a lifetime. Since most families know about college tution, this would be an easier way to make it apparent to them. If you can put the nations entire graduating class from a given year to another, it would make a more substantial statement in my opinion than just giving hard numbers that people will probably just ignore.

[Goldwater Conservative]

I noticed that during the CNN debate Ron Paul mentioned that we are building bridges in Iraq yet our own bridges are deteriorating which I think is a good way to put things for those for continued occupation.

I would like to see these kind of comparision continue. I was thinking that maybe instead of stating how many trillions or billions we are spending overseas that Ron Paul could translate it into statements like...if we took the money we have spent so far in Iraq and put it towards college education for high school graduates we could pay for this many people(perhaps entire graduating classes) for this many years. Maybe base this off the average state college tuition.

I'm not saying that we should pay for people to go to college but I think it easier for people to imagine this than mass amount of billions or trillions.

Good idea, bad example :), since that's what the Dems are saying. They like that this war happened for at least one reason: instead of ending it and cutting the spending for it, they'll end it but just divert the spending for it to social programs. Bush basically gave the Dems a check to permanently expand the welfare state. I know you're not suggesting that, but people WILL misconstrue it, especially the base we're still trying to win over.

Paul should instead point out how the money could be given back to the people in the form of a massive tax cut or could be used to eliminate the budget deficit so we can stop borrowing from the Chinese for our children to pay back.

[dvictr]

the idea is that government expenditure from tax revenue is better spent inside the domestic economuy by consumer and investors... not in Iraq..

Ron Paul is not supporting to fund bridge project here at home!@

[morerocklesstalk]

Good idea, bad example :), since that's what the Dems are saying. They like that this war happened for at least one reason: instead of ending it and cutting the spending for it, they'll end it but just divert the spending for it to social programs. Bush basically gave the Dems a check to permanently expand the welfare state.

Paul should instead point out how the money could be given back to the people in the form of a massive tax cut or could be used to eliminate the budget deficit so we can stop borrowing from the Chinese for our children to pay back.

Yeah I understand. I wasn't really implying that is what we should the do with the money, just the contrary, but I was trying to find a way to get the amount of money into peoples minds. I think once you get into the billions, people just really don't have a grasp on how much cash we are dealing with here. Unfortunately, I don't think deficit talk by itself will stimulate intrest of the average American. Which could explain why McCain is a frontrunner.

[morerocklesstalk]

the idea is that government expenditure from tax revenue is better spent inside the domestic economuy by consumer and investors... not in Iraq..

Ron Paul is not supporting to fund bridge project here at home!@

Exactly. I'm just trying to get this message to really resenate with people.

[Goldwater Conservative]

Yeah I understand. I wasn't really implying that is what we should the do with the money, just the contrary, but I was trying to find a way to get the amount of money into peoples minds. I think once you get into the billions, people just really don't have a grasp on how much cash we are dealing with here. Unfortunately, I don't think deficit talk by itself will stimulate intrest of the average American. Which could explain why McCain is a frontrunner.

I know, I edited to say that I realize where you're coming from but am afraid that people will get confused and think Paul is a Big Government guy domestically, which he's the farthest from, so it's better to phrase it in traditional conservative terms. :)

Maybe explaining how much of the year they work to pay for the war, factoring in interest payments on the debt if possible?

[morerocklesstalk]

I know, I edited to say that I realize where you're coming from but am afraid that people will get confused and think Paul is a Big Government guy domestically, which he's the farthest from, so it's better to phrase it in traditional conservative terms. :)

Maybe explaining how much of the year they work to pay for the war, factoring in interest payments on the debt if possible?

Yeah possibly. I'm pretty underwhelmed by the concern/understanding of most Republicans voting in the primaries on the economy. The Democrats will tear McCain apart if thinks he can creat tax cuts while expanding the building of bases in Iraq and continuing our presence. My concern is that since most people are voting for McCain so far, we may need some easier to understand monetary comparisions because cold numbers don't seem to be hitting any notes with states outside of NV so far.

[tomveil]

Break it down into personal terms.

Your share of the Iraq war is $x.

Your share of the national debt is $x.

Personally, when I tell people that their share of the INTEREST on the national debt is $3,000+ a year (AND GROWING!), people really start to listen.

[morerocklesstalk]

Yup I like that approach. I'm just worried those kind of raw numbers have been out before hence the different approach. In either case I think this should be hammered home.

[tomveil]

Yup I like that approach. I'm just worried those kind of raw numbers have been out before hence the different approach. In either case I think this should be hammered home.

It's all we got left, man. We gotta make sure that people understand what the government is doing to them. Apathetic people vote for the status quo. We have to break through that and the easiest way to do that is to make it personal.

[morerocklesstalk]

It's all we got left, man. We gotta make sure that people understand what the government is doing to them. Apathetic people vote for the status quo. We have to break through that and the easiest way to do that is to make it personal.

I agree but my point is that how you say or put something into words is equally and sometimes more important than what you say, unfortunately.

I guarantee if you poll Republicans and ask "Should the gov't spend more money on the infastructure and occupation of Iraq than on domestic infastructure?" You would get a resounding no.

If we talk over peoples heads they will ignore us.