As our government launches unecessary and dangerous attacks in Syria, it's devastating to know who paid for it: we did.

by Maryanne Magnier Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Editor's note: At a time when the United States is in the midst of its longest war ever, with no end in sight; when the president routinely and offhandedly spouts threats of war; when the military budget is higher than at any...

Out of twelve major federal spending categories, only the military and veteran's benefits would be spared from the Trump cuts. 

The resulting federal discretinary budgets invests 54% of the federal discretionary budget in the miltiary and nuclear weapons. 

This is a president and military ramping up for war, in a country that has had more than enough. There's no other justification for the military spending Trump wants.

Is the United States doomed to keep making the same mistakes?

Possibly the single worst thing about it is the cynical way that its supporters want to use it to create an excuse to gut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. 

The priorities in Congress this week are clear: a $700 billion authorization for military spending in FY 2018, and a $1.5 trillion tax plan that bestows untold wealth upon the already jaw-droppingly wealthy.

If the Trump tax plan were an object, you can bet it would be gold-plated

It's easy to see what comes next: claiming pressure from the deepening debt that they themselves created, members of Congress will want massive cuts to programs that help the poor and middle class.