[BullDog]

Originally Posted by PumaJ

From Bob Herbert's last post, Losing Our Way, in the N.Y. Times (Thanks Bulldog for the heads up), these words in particular caught my attention:

It has been my observation that the majority of the wars our nation has engaged in since WWII are in some way tied to corporate greed. I believe that old standby line about helping other nations find freedom & democracy is code for "let's make them safe for our corporations to go into & exploit the people & the land for the sake of profit & more profit".

Call me cynical if you like, but it is from my years of being an observer of national & international politics over a long period of time that I've come to that conclusion. Over that same period of time, I've been busy in my professional life working in non-profit agencies to deliver healthcare & mental health services to youngsters & their families, whose lives have been stuck in generational poverty, mental illness, various addictions, domestic violence and child abuse. All problems that increase during times of economic recession.

I absolutely agree PumaJ. Just think what the position our country and citizens could be in if we spent only a fraction of what we have spent on war on education and social services instead. Also, a well-educated and healthy citizenry makes for a better workforce and consumers with money to spend.