Opinion

We are repeating mistakes of the past

Posted February 14, 2018 12:00 am

Those who don't learn from the past are going to repeat the same mistakes. The present administration and Congress are doing exactly that.

President Reagan cut taxes and his spending increased the national debt by 190 percent. President Bush cut taxes twice and the debt increased 101 percent. In both cases, much of the increased spending was on defense.

We now see Washington again cutting taxes and increasing spending. Much of the increase is for defense. Why, when we already spend more than the next eight countries in the world?

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute the United States spent $611 billion on defense in 2016. The next eight nations totaled $595 billion. These nations include China, Russia and three of our European allies.

We are repeating past mistakes and our children and grandchildren will pay for it.

Royce M. Blackwell

Elgin

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