Numbers askew in guest column

In response to the Oct. 30 guest column by Danette Hayes, “Returning troops’ needs often forgotten,” I would not dispute the intent of the article. However, the statistics cited seem to be awry. It was noted that the defense budget is “2 percent of GDP.” Forbes in its July 25 edition offered that defense is currently 3.6 percent of GDP.

The writer also noted that “it will take two decades for Medicare and Social Security to reach 2 percent of GDP.” However, socialsecurity.gov indicates that currently OASI, HI and SMI already are 8.73 percent of GDP. It is a far stretch to say that something already at 8.73 percent of GDP will “reach 2 percent of GDP in two decades.”

Fred Spohr

Arlington Heights