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The US has spent more than $21T on the military, law enforcement and surveillance systems since the 9/11 attacks, according to a study compiled by the Institute for Policy Studies, a progressive think tank in DC.
Released in the aftermath of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the report questions whether that massive investment bolstered the safety of Americans.
America’s “turbo-charged” militarism has sparked deep divisions in the country, including the growing threats from white supremacy and authoritarianism.
It also diverted resources to counter threats from climate change, pandemics, and economic inequality.
IPS calculates that the $16.26T spent for the military, which includes $7.2B for contractors, accounted for the bulk of the national security outlays during the past 20 years.
The balance went to veterans’ programs ($3T), homeland security ($949B) and federal law enforcement ($732B).
The Report notes that the vast outlays spent on the military shows the US has the means and political will to act on its priorities.
“The task of the next five, 10 or 20 years will be to shift those priorities to better meet the array of threats we face,” it concludes.
More than half (52 percent) of US employers had already planned to require their workers to get vaccinated prior to president
Biden’s Sept. 9 decision to mandate that companies with more than 100 workers require vaccinations or weekly testing.
That was a finding in a Willis Towers Watson survey that was conducted between Aug. 18 and 25 and released Sept. 1.
A majority (62 percent) of companies plan to require proof of vaccination from workers, such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cards, while 36 percent are willing to take their employees at their word.
The Business Roundtable praised Biden’s vaccine mandate and his continued vigilance in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“America’s business leaders know how critical vaccination and testing are in defeating the pandemic, which is why so many have invested resources in encouraging and incentivizing their customers and employees to get vaccinated, including providing paid time off," said BR president/CEO Joshua Bolten.
He noted that many companies over the past few weeks have decided to implement a vaccine mandate for some or all their employees.
Biden will be cheering them on.
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