Stay the Course

Twelve billion dollars a month. $12,000,000,000 per month! That is the current estimated cost of the war and occupation in Iraq. If we do a little simple math: $12,000,000,000 divided by 280,000,000 americans works out to $42.85 per american per month. $171.40 per month for my family of four. Multiply that $42.85 per month times 625,000 vermonters and you get $26,781,250 . Almost twenty seven million dollars per month. That is Vermont’s “share” of the war costs. Per month. You want to fix potholes? You want to repair our bridges? Educate our children? Treat the ill? Develop renewable energy sources? Retrain unemployed workers? Combat the spread of heroin? Money is tight. The state is strapped. Our  towns are strapped. People are strapped. Welcome to year six.