USA: Neglecting citizens in favor of hard power
Early in his presidency, Dwight Eisenhower spoke out against increased military spending with the words, “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.” Yet, over time, increased military spending and the “military-industrial complex” — which Eisenhower also warned against — have become realities.
There is a saying that “When your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.” Today, the US has the world’s most powerful hammer. While previous administrations also tried to build “soft power” through foreign aid programs, the current administration has significantly cut those programs, along with social programs at home, while greatly increasing ICE funding, adding another “hammer” to the toolbox.
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