United States Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) caused an uproar on social media on Monday after he tweeted that President Joe Biden's request for an additional $31 billion in military spending is nowhere near enough.
The Department of Defense has asked Congress to allocate the extra funds – on top of the $782 billion already slated to be dumped down the "defense" drain – to aid Ukraine in its fight against Russian President Vladimir Putin's genocidal invasion. McConnell, however, signaled that even more money should be pumped into the coffers of corporate warmongers.
"President Biden's budget reinforces the disconnect between this Administration’s far-left goals and what Americans need," wrote McConnell. "It’s soft on the defense funding we need to outpace Russia and China, heavy on left-wing waste and historic tax hikes."
President Biden's budget reinforces the disconnect between this Administration\u2019s far-left goals and what Americans need. It\u2019s soft on the defense funding we need to outpace Russia and China, heavy on left-wing waste and historic tax hikes.— Leader McConnell (@Leader McConnell) 1648504270
As if that were not enough, "an analysis by Capital Alpha Partners’ Byron Callan noted the Republican target is likely $875 billion for overall defense and national security spending," according to a DefenseNews report.
Twitter wasted no time reminding McConnell that the US already outspends most of its allies and adversaries – combined – on its armed forces. And that siphoning dollars away from much-needed socioeconomic reforms ultimately makes the US a weaker country.
The US spends more on defense than the next 11 largest spenders COMBINED. Explain the need for that much defense spending while Americans are suffering under crushing college debt, skyrocketing housing cost, unaffordable healthcare and absurd prescription drug costs. WAITING....— warrenmaxFL (@warrenmaxFL) 1648504578
It increases the defense budget. It increases taxes on the wealthiest Americans while keeping taxes low on the middle class. It will reduce the deficit and is a good bipartisan compromise. I don\u2019t see how you can logically spin this any other way.— Daniel Kampf (@Daniel Kampf) 1648504576
Fact Kentuckypic.twitter.com/XpSIlJK3K3— Mitch McConnell volunteer constuent services (@Mitch McConnell volunteer constuent services) 1648504419
Oh right, like you were so connected when you gave all the MILLIONAIRES a huge tax holiday? Or when you were writing legislation about Women's healthcare without a single WOMAN in the room? Give me a break. You're an idiot.— Liz (@Liz) 1648507731
Who Are you to decide what the American citizens \u201cneed\u201d? You voted to give 2 trillion to you wealthy donors. What have you done to help the people in Kentucky? I don\u2019t think they are in the top in education,\nhow is the healthcare in Kentucky?\nThers isn\u2019t a bomb shortage.— Pat (@Pat) 1648506217
Wow dude, you're so right! They're right on our heels. They'll be overtaking us any day now!pic.twitter.com/bSyHDYLLTb— Tom Cronin (@Tom Cronin) 1648504822
You are sure you want to say we are underfunding the military.\n\nYou are sure?!?pic.twitter.com/Uocl1hSvD9— Chromium muffler bearings (@Chromium muffler bearings) 1648506392
No. That\u2019s not what it does.https://twitter.com/potus/status/1508548776797130758\u00a0\u2026— Jack Hutton \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 \ud83c\udf3b (@Jack Hutton \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 \ud83c\udf3b) 1648504469
The majority of the ppl want the BBB and voting rights passed. You and your Q friends all vote against both bills, only because you know they WOULD do good for the ppl. You will block anything that is good for America. Let the ppl suffer for your own political gain. \ntraitor— Baked reality (@Baked reality) 1648506684
Which corporate overlord wrote this for you?\n\n#KochNetworkpic.twitter.com/kKMGpJghMJ— you can't handle the truth. \u270a\ud83c\udffe\ud83d\udcbb\ud83d\udce1 (sysop) (@you can't handle the truth. \u270a\ud83c\udffe\ud83d\udcbb\ud83d\udce1 (sysop)) 1648504384
Why is it that the GOP are always hiding behind Defense Spending(Lobbies) rather than Americans feeding their families,EARNING, decent wages, affordable healthcare, jobs, and a roof over their heads? WAKE TF UP— BeeBee (@BeeBee) 1648506454
Yes, tax hikes ON THE ULTRA RICH who McConnell defends tirelessly.— \u2b50\ufe0f Merrily vaccinated agnostic\u2b50\ufe0f (@\u2b50\ufe0f Merrily vaccinated agnostic\u2b50\ufe0f) 1648504367
So what does Americans need? You are quick to speak against what POTUS want to do for Americans but I don't hear you coming up with solutions to help Americans!! Your interest is in filling corporations pockets.— BetterIsComing (@BetterIsComing) 1648507291
Are you hallucinating? We "outpace" every country in terms of defense spending! We need to spend on infrastructure instead! Is spending money on roads, renewable energy, healthcare, etc. really "far-left"? As for "historic" tax hikes, billionaires SHOULD have their taxes raised!— Tom M (@Tom M) 1648505539
We spend more on defense that the next 10 nations, combined. The defense bill is more than under Trump. Could you and your party offer a competing budget for comparison? You've always wanted to kill infra and ACA but have never said what you would replace them with.— Jerry Meyer (@Jerry Meyer) 1648504967
how inept must the US military be that it needs to spend this much to "outpace Russia and China"?pic.twitter.com/MSKasWSaKW— Hartmann the Anarchist (@Hartmann the Anarchist) 1648506382
pic.twitter.com/MJVkSlow2p— Oliver G. Hardley (@Oliver G. Hardley) 1648504852
