The numbers should outrage everyone Just listing them shows what an incredible waste this budget is. We are continually told we cannot afford decent infrastructure or free university tuition.
And yet:
Defense spending increase in the Budget Deal: 85 Billion
Cost of Bernie’s Free College Tuition Plan: $70 Billion
Defense spending, 2001: $304 Billion
Defense spending in 2001, adjusted for inflation, $428 Billion
Defense spending in this bill $716 Billion
Democratic votes in the Senate against the proposed Defense Budget: 5. EVERY OTHER DEMOCRAT VOTED YES. Here are the Democratic no votes:
Leahy, Gillibrand, Sanders, Merkley, Wyden
Cost of proposed Democratic Infrastructure plan: $100 Billion a year
Jobs created by proposed Democratic Infrastructure Plan: 16 million
Cost of Trump Tax Cuts: 1.5 Trillion over 10 years
To make clear the choices we are making in this budget, consider two alternative futures. To be clear, you would have to phase in the defense budget cuts, and it might not be possible to get to the 2001 number because of health care expenses owed to veterans as a result of our stupid Mid-East Wars.
| Defense Budget | $85 Billion increase | 2001 Defense Budget, Adjusted for inflation |
| Taxes | Trump Tax Bill | Keep all tax cuts for the bottom 80% of tax payers |
| Infrastructure | Minor increase | Democratic infrastructure plan, will create 16 million jobs |
| College | No change | Free |
Amazingly, the progressive plan would be revenue neutral. But I guarantee everyone will say it is too expensive.
| Defense Budget | +$85 Billion | -$203 Billion |
Tax cuts (Effect on Budget) | +$150 Billion | +$30 Billion |
| Free College | 0 | +$70 Billion |
Infrastructure Plan | +$20 Billion | +$100 Billion |
Total Effect on Budget Deficit | +$255 Billion | -3 Billion |