[quote]I’ve studied economic theory in upper division econ courses at the University of California (at San Diego — professor Bear anyone?) that seemingly involved little more than crunching differential equations, but the misleadingly simplistic explanation above is what most are missing today.[/quote]
Did they teach you about public goods and market failures in those courses?
[quote]Now I’ll give YOU a head start: taxing for and spending on the defence of the United States is actually in the Constitution.[/quote]
Strictly speaking, the Constitution does not authorize any spending on the air force (the only kinds of military allowed are army and navy). And it does not authorize spending on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (since we never formally declared war on either). And even in the case of the army, we’re not supposed to have a professional army, we’re only allowed to raise and finance one for the period not exceeding two years, after which point we have to send soldiers home. (And if we’re invaded, the correct strict Constitutionalist response would be to raise a militia.)
