permabear wrote:Defense

[an]

[quote=permabear]Defense spending needs to be cut drastically – at least back to Clinton levels. It is insane right now, and is the single item bankrupting the U.S. – not SS or Medicare or anything else. The 2009 U.S. military budget accounted for approximately 40% of global arms spending. That’s over SIX TIMES larger than the military budget of China.

Seriously, just look at this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_federations_by_military_expenditures%5B/quote%5D
According to that wiki link, military spending as % of GDP is 4.3%. Here’s the break down of government spending as of 2006: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_spending.

Pensions $747.1 5.7
Health Care $783.8 6.0
Education $900.8 6.9
Defense $622.2 4.8
Welfare $411.4 3.2
Interest $312.3 2.4