DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE: Mr. Toad’s wild ride down the US’s well-constructed money vacuum

Money is big business, and a lot of people make a lot of money from it.

The military industrial complex comes to mind.

According to the Watson Institute at Brown University (https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/costs/economic) the United States Federal Government has through fiscal year 2022, spent and obligated $8 trillion on the post-9/11 wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and elsewhere. 

Who is fueling these wars that are playing out now in Ukraine and Israel?

HOW DOES IT ALL WORK?

Let’s begin with the lobbyist groups because you can bet every military contractor has lobbyist and PAC groups always carrying wads of cash.

According to OpenSecrets.org, in 2023 there was $136.845,689 spent by lobbyist groups just for defense (https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/lobbying?cycle=2024&ind=D).

At the top was Lockheed Martin at $1,917,820, followed by Northrop Grumman at 1,253,089 contributing – and some might say “setting narrative” – in our government.

In fact, there 20 defense companies at OpenSecrets.org named as top defense contributors. 

Yes, the United States does need a good military and the industrial complex is important. Yet lobbyist groups giving money to politicians could be construed (if one were really looking at the authenticity of the situation) as a major conflict of interest.

Could these lobbyist groups have anything to do with the way politicians end up voting?

I’m going to let each one of you do some research in your own city and state to answer that question. 

Who are the politicians voting yes on which bills, and does it benefit any of the companies with a lobbyist group donating to that politician’s campaign?

Maybe Americans would not be so ready for their heads to explode about this kind of defense spending or even the way the lobbyist groups have a handle on the game IF the United States were using money to defend our own border.

Instead, we send billions to foreign wars while down south – just last week – we had acts of war being committed by illegals cutting razor wire at the border crossings and running towards the wall and perhaps the National Guard.

So, while our politicians seem to be turning their eyes across the pond, the border solution in the US south is not solutioning.

In https://www.newsweek.com/greg-abbott-warns-war-border-coming-really-soon-1886941 – “Greg Abbott Warns of War at the Border Coming ‘Really Soon,” the governor warned about the possibility of “drone wars” erupting across the United States-Mexico border.

One point I heartedly agree with Abbott on: “It’s ridiculous that anybody has their shoes inspected in an airport these days when terrorists can come right across the border and sneak in and come here.” 

What if we all just refused to take our shoes off? That would be a start.

And then there is the fact the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Texas had to remove the razor wire “and other barriers placed along the state’s border with Mexico to deter migrants illegally entering the U.S.”

Abbott said basically, “Come and make me.”

Seriously, when is it considered an act of war when illegals barge into our country with wire cutters? 

ARE WE THERE YET, GOMER?

Can we follow the Constitution and perhaps put term limits on SCOTUS too. 

America’s Newsroom ask Abbott why he thinks Joe Joe wants to keep the incoming flow coming, and Abbott said stopping it would “completely dismantle the Biden campaign.”

It seems to be just one more breach – Joe Joe thinking we are going to forget his fumbles. 

DPS even announced it had arrested 214 illegals on state rioting charges, just from the El Paso razor cutting incident last month including nine people facing felony rioting charges, seven of whom are in custody.

WHERE ARE THE OTHER TWO?

Some of my friends might remark “off to the voting booth,” but I refrain.

Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked John Kirby, the U.S. National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, if he believes President Biden thinks “some of these border crossers could be in the United States right now plotting a terrorist attack against Americans?”

Kirdy said, “The president is confident that throughout the interagency – DHS, intelligence community – that we’re doing everything we can to be as vigilant as we can to ensure the safety and security of the American people here at home.”

Is he aware of the illegals murdering men, women, and children around the country? Has he even been briefed on the illegals cutting the razor wire last week? 

Yea Joe Joe, that group is certainly a safe group to welcome into our country, box cutters and all. 

Americans, does it feel like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride – the steroid version? Hang on for the ride.

Rita Cook is a freelance writer for The Ellis County Press. She can be reached at rcook13@earthlink.net.