What Do Conservatives Want?

The most cynical answer to that question--one which I fully endorse--is this: in the viewpoint of the conservative movement, government exists for one reason: to transfer as much money as possible from the working class to the wealthiest individuals and biggest corporations. That's it--the big funnel. And when those recipients of welfare for the wealthy turn around and contribute generously to keep those same conservatives in office, you have closed the wicked circle of government. One that mocks the Constitution, sure, but you have to admit it's pretty damned efficient.

Of course, people will disagree with this contention, but sometimes facts emerge which are pretty difficult to argue. The Atlantic Monthly provided such a service recently. They printed a two page graphical spread which compared what's happened to our country in the eight years since George W. Bush took office. The most compelling combination of facts is this:

• Defense spending increased 76%
• The number of designated foreign terrorist groups grew by 52%
• Total troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan (whether rightly or wrongly) went from 0 to 214 thousand
• BUT...the number of active duty personnel in the American troop levels actually went down three percent?

Didn't we actually need more people to fight all those threats? And if not, where the hell did all that extra $260 billion go? We spent 76% more for the military...but the military shrank by 3%?

In your heart, you already know the answer. It went to all of the private contractors who are building weapon systems we don't need, failing to adequately arm the troops we are sending into combat, and otherwise driving cowboy convoys in perfectly armored SUVs where they can kill innocent locals without fear of prosecution.

So, next time you hear so-called conservatives on TV complaining about budgets that collect too much tax revenue, remember what's really killing them--the money's now going back to the people who paid it, rather than to the plutocrats who run the wicked circle.