Reply #62: So much ignorance, one hardly knows where to start...

[IrateCitizen]

our military might that enables our individual political freedoms

our military muscle keeps our economy moving

european amish-mentality state

Here's a tip, westsidexview -- if you're going to make assertions, provide DATA and FACTS to back them up. Since you have repeatedly refused to do so when challenged, and have instead only sought to divert the discussion to dead-end tangents (like the Civil War), one can only assume that your motives here are less than genuine.

But, to refute your three "assertions" in your initial post...

1. Our military might does nothing to enable our individual political freedoms. An informed and active citizenry enables those -- and the lack of such in the US today is a big reason why our individual freedoms are under unreleting attack. If anything, the encroachment of militarism upon American society has actually contributed to this assault on individual freedoms -- see the "war on communism", "war on drugs" and "war on terror" for exhibits A, B and C.

2. Most economists of a sound mind recognize that military Keynesianism is one of the most inefficient means through which to stimulate the economy. Why? Because at the end of the production, you're not left with anything that provides a lasting use to society as a whole. If you build schools, not only does the actual construction produce a stimulus, but the actual school which is used afterwards does as well over time, by increasing investment in education and therefore increasing the "brain pool". Investment in transportation helps to move commerce and facilitate real economic growth. But when you throw money increasingly at bombs and guns, that's all your left with in the end. They don't serve any lasting use to society as a whole, and they don't create nearly as many jobs as other forms of investment.

3. I have absolutely no idea what "an european amish-mentality state" means. Have you ever even spent any time in Europe? Please define exactly what you mean by this so that I may demolish this "assertion" as well.