War Tax: More Than 10% of Every American’s Tax Payment Is Spent on War

Last updated on April 19th, 2013 at 07:00 pm

The White House released a tax receipt calculator so that the American people can see how their tax dollars are being spent. Not only does nearly 25% of your taxes go to the military, 10.26% pays for war.

Republicans hate big government, but what they never want to discuss is the fact that national defense is the biggest taxpayer expense. 24.64% of every American’s total income tax payment goes to the military. Within that nearly 25%, 5.62% goes to salaries and benefits, 10.26% goes to ongoing operations, equipment, and supplies, 7.62% goes goes to research, development, and weapons construction, 0.70% atomic energy defense activities, 0.44% defense related FBI activities and other national defense.

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The United States spends more on weapons and war than we do on Medicaid and CHIP (9.44%), and Medicare (9.84%). The unemployment benefits that Republicans claim we can’t afford take up 0.99% of your total income tax payment. The food assistance that House Republicans target for cuts on regular basis takes up 3.89% of your total tax payment. As a nation we spend roughly 1/3 as much on food assistance for our own people as we do on weapons and war.

Whether we realize or not, every single American in this country is paying a war tax of 10.26%. When Republicans claim that Medicare is too expensive and must be privatized, our first response should be that war is what is too expensive. Democrats should start demanding dollar for dollar cuts in war spending for every dollar Republicans want to cut in food and health care. If Republicans are so serious spending being offset by cuts, they should pay for it with the hide of their most sacred cow.

The extremist argument is that any cuts in military spending would jeopardize national security, but no one is saying that the country close down the military and send everybody home. In the 21st century, a civilian militia isn’t going to cut it.

All I am suggesting is that the nation could do with a few less wars.

These are still tough economic times, and if Republicans believe that government is too big and spending is out of control, they could show it by thinking twice the next time they try to take the country to war.

What do they really care? We’re the ones footing bill.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association