In 2011, total expenditure for government spending is around 6 trillion. 1.1 trillion (about 18%) of that is for health care. National defense clocks in at .9 trillion (15%).
Wait, what? We're spending more money on health care than on national defense?
Now, I'm not saying we should be increasing that national defense percentage. While this blog will not delve much into politics, I will say that this blog is about promoting health and its accompanying peace, not promoting the opposite. Thus, these views are not to be dismissed as advocating an increase in military presence.
BUT let's think about how crazy this... You might be heartened by those figures, comforted by the knowledge that our government is spending more money on improving the health and lives of its citizens than on machines of violence. Unfortunately, I find these numbers to be largely disturbing.
Let's look at these two areas and see how they're related:
National defense - designed to promote the well-being and continued survival of citizens by protecting them from foreign dangers
Health care - designed to promote the well-being and continued survival of citizens by protecting from dangers within our own selves
Which one is more a priority right now, according to our nation's spending? Health care. We are killing ourselves off more quickly and efficiently than our supposed enemies can. How impressive of us!
Now, most people believe there's a solution to both of these problems: more spending. If we can increase our national defense and our military presence, we will be ensured dominance, superiority, protection, and overall victory against our 'foes'. If we can increase our health care system, we will be ensured dominance, protection, and longevity over our internal 'foes'.
BUT there are better options out there. As many would be quick to point out, if we increase our diplomacy and good will towards other nations, we can directly decrease our need for a 'national defense'. Similarly, if we focus on improving our own health, we can decrease and eliminate our dependence on a national health care system. Many of the most devastating health crises in our nation are largely or entirely preventable. And we don't need to rely on (and pump trillions of dollars into) our broken health care system to do so.
One major method of accomplishing this: self-care, which I will be expanding upon further in a future post.
Till next time, be well!
References: http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/
