by Jim Hightower

Trying to bring common sense to Washington, D.C., is about as hard as delivering a tray of ice cubes to hell but a group called Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities is trying to do just that.
Even wilder, this group of business people, military experts, and grassroots activists are trying to make sense of something as nonsensical as the bloated, obese, inefficient, antiquated, sugar-addicted bureaucratic jumble known as the Pentagon budget. Their goal is to take a slim slice of this overweight budget and apply the money to some of our countrys broader security needs.
Next year, the Pentagon will take $463 billion of our tax dollars more than will be appropriated for the environment, education, energy, agriculture, housing, job training, poverty needs, science, national parks, and every other federal program combined. Also, the Pentagons haul does not include fighting a war. War is extra. For example, the $363 billion for Bushs war of lies in Iraq is all off budget hes putting that on the credit cards of our kids and grandkids.
So, the Sensible Priorities group wants to trim a mere $60 billion in fat, pork, and pure lard that now goes to the likes of Boeing, Lockheed, and Halliburton for weaponry boondoggles that dont work or arent needed. This would not take a dime from our troops in Bushs war and it still would leave the Pentagon brass with more money than the rest of the world combined spends on their militaries.
With this $60 billion slice, we could provide Head Start for every child in America, guarantee health care for every child, rebuild every single American school, establish energy independence for our country through renewable fuels and so much more.
Of course we need a strong military but FAT is not strong. We need a Pentagon that defends us not one that bleeds us. To support Sensible Priorities, go to www.sensiblepriorities.org.