Okay I'm having a Bernie argument

[greymouse]

11. half the federal budget goes to "defense"

just imagine what we could do with that money if we returned to having a peacetime defense department like there used to be between wars that were actually necessary.

Also spending some of that money on healthcare, infrastructure repair, etc. would create jobs. Employed people pay taxes. Educated people make more money and pay more taxes.

Getting benefits such as healthcare reduces the overall cost of medical care because it catches things early when they are more treatable. Also it puts people in doctors' offices instead of expensive emergency rooms.

The richest 1% in the US own more than the bottom 90%. I'm sure they could afford an increase in taxes.

The kind of programs Bernie advocates work perfectly well in the Scandinavian countries.

Just imagine living in a country where people don't have to live in fear that if they lose their job they may become homeless, and not be able to afford food for their kids.