Americans Aren’t Thrilled About Biden’s Proposed Pentagon Budget Increase

@Public_Citizen, @lexi4prez/Twitter

March 30, 2022, 7:40 am

People in the United States have frequently expressed issues with how much of our federal and state funding goes to things like military and police rather than prioritizing things that would actually better society. So the fact that President Joe Biden recently proposed a budget of $813 billion for the Department of Defense — around a $30 billion increase from last year — isn’t going over too well with a lot of folks who have been paying attention, nor is the fact that $32 billion of that would go towards law enforcement.

Featured Video Hide

Just because Biden proposed it doesn’t mean that it will come to fruition, but military spending has long been an overwhelming priority for the U.S. government, and at the very least, Biden is showing that his administration still feels that way.

Advertisement Hide

It didn’t take long for people online to start pointing to all the federal programs that have been cut in the last several years due to lack of funding, or all the ways millions of people in this country are struggling and could benefit from that additional $30 billion going to other things that would better serve actual people rather than just reinforce the idea of the U.S. being a war machine.

And others were just tired of seeing the same old thing from the White House, yet again.

If we dream big, believe in ourselves and work hard we can become the first country in the world with a $1 trillion military budget. Let’s do it people!!!!!!! USA! USA! USA! https://t.co/kvceMKIIlf

— jordan (@JordanUhl) March 28, 2022

$813,000,000,000……. but we have homeless people sleeping on the streets, hungry children, medical debt, student debt, failing infrastructure and basic human needs aren’t met for millions of people. But… there’s always $83,000,000,000 for the pentagon. https://t.co/m8sT7JAjOl

— Alexis Isabel (@lexi4prez) March 28, 2022

Advertisement Hide

Budgets are moral documents that reflect our values.

It is indefensible that the proposed 2023 budget directs an unprecedented amount of funding to the already bloated Pentagon budget. pic.twitter.com/QJj190MlCh

— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) March 29, 2022

I think the pentagon should try eating lentils, making coffee at home, and taking the bus, before getting an increased allowance. That’s just me spitballing though, I’m no big money expert https://t.co/BDDhcHbszz

— JoeLongBalls (@JoeLongBalls) March 28, 2022

we can absolutely have free healthcare if we cut the pentagon budget

— CODEPINK (@codepink) March 29, 2022

the biden budget:
$813 billion for pentagon.
$15.3 billion for customs & border
$8.1 billion for ICE (incl.$309 million for border security technology & $19 million for border fencing)

no healthcare, student debt relief, covid care, child care… NO HELP FOR THE PEOPLE!!!

— DJASPORA (@BLK_DJASPORA) March 29, 2022

Advertisement Hide

The craziest thing about the Will Smith/Chris Rock fiasco is that Biden is requesting a $813billion Pentagon budget while pushing us closer to nuclear annihilation, cutting social spending & warning of food shortages.

— Eleanor Goldfield (@RadicalEleanor) March 28, 2022

My kids’ dentist, I just found out, takes only a Blue Shield PPO, not an HMO which I switched to in January to save $.

SO: $400 for two cleanings.

America is stupid & some of that massive Pentagon budget should be used to give every person in America free healthcare and dental.

— Elizabeth C. McLaughlin (she/her) (@ECMcLaughlin) March 28, 2022

I guarantee you every single member of Congress who balked at how Build Back Better was too expensive will vote for this without a thought.

The Pentagon doesn’t need this money — working people who can’t afford child care, housing, and health care do.https://t.co/Z5EA2bz3uD

— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) March 28, 2022

Advertisement Hide

Enough is enough.

Tell Congress that militarization doesn’t make us safer, meaningful investments in human needs do: https://t.co/xWL3jska0b

— Public Citizen (@Public_Citizen) March 28, 2022

Obviously I was wrong about the number, as multiple have pointed out. But we still pay more than the next 9 countries combined

Should have phrased it different, but Russia is currently attacking a country to annex it, as well as a number of other countries next, incl NATO ones pic.twitter.com/kMrRPXgHKk

— Stand with Ukraine – then GetYoDrinkOn (@GetYoDrinkOn) March 28, 2022

Imagine how many homeless would have homes, how many students would be free from debts, how many would have healthcare if only a fraction of this budget went instead to where all the Democrats promised it would go when they were campaigning.

— Xnerdz (@Xnerdz) March 28, 2022

Share this article

*First Published: March 30, 2022, 7:40 am