Reply #16: Always. Take a look at what 3 billion would have bought

[chill_wind]

the whole state of New Mexico, for example, with change to spare-- for a year:

744,151 People with Health Care for One Year OR

988,352 Children with Health Care for One Year OR

28,417 Affordable Housing Units OR

4,356,967 Homes with Renewable Electricity for One Year OR

520,657 Students receiving Pell Grants of $5350 OR

658,514 Scholarships for University Students for One Year OR

401,197 Head Start Places for Children for One Year OR

54,101 Elementary School Teachers for One Year OR

72,374 Public Safety Officers for One year

more...

http://www.nationalpriorities.org/tradeoffs?location_type=1&state=35&program=585&tradeoff_item_item=999&submit_tradeoffs=Get+Trade+Off

Take a look at YOUR states or cities. I've mentioned this before, but Pres Obama occasionally pulled spending data from this database to attack the Bush/McBush war machine on their war spending priorities.. while he was out on the campaign trail.