$43.6 billion.
That’s how much American taxpayers have spent on the war in Iran so far.. while families here in Michigan are watching gas, groceries and just about everything else get more expensive.
And the bill isn’t done growing.
Michigan has already been hit with THE biggest gas-price increases in the country, and if supply-chain disruptions and tariff fuckery keep getting worse, Americans could be paying even more for increasingly scarce basics.
Meanwhile, William Lawrence, the Democratic nominee in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, has made ending America’s cycle of endless war a central part of his campaign, calling for an end to “25 years of impunity” for America’s political elite.
“Spending $43.6 billion on a war started for the sake of Trump’s ego while Michiganders can’t afford the basics is a travesty,” said Lawrence. “The American people deserve real security: housing and healthcare they can count on, not endless wars.”
Which got us thinking:
What could Michigan actually do with $43.6 billion if we spent it on people instead?
So Distill caught up with Lawrence and asked him for 10 better ways to spend $43.6 billion, all focused on making Michiganders’ lives more secure, affordable and livable.
Here’s his list:
Give every Michigander $4,360. ( Still not enough to make up for the $5600 republican policy’s have cost us in the last year.)
Make 8,843,813,387.42 gallons of gas free for Michiganders.
Restore Trump’s $380 million cuts to Michigan’s health care grants 114 times.
Restore Trump’s Medicaid funding cuts to Michigan hospitals seven times.
Re-open the four Planned Parenthood clinics in Michigan forced to close because of Trump’s cuts.
Restore the nearly $42 million in funding Trump cut from Michigan schools 1,038 times.
Build 55 Veteran’s Affairs residential rehabilitation treatment facilities across Michigan.
Restore two full years of Trump’s cuts to SNAP nationwide.
Repave every road in Watersmeet Township 2,691 times.
Restore the $200 million in federal research funding Trump pulled from Michigan 218 times.
In Michigan’s 7th district, Lawrence is running against Representative Tom Barrett who voted in support of the Iran war three times, voted to gut VA healthcare and who has never held a single in person town hall.
Just last week, veterans in Michigan’s 7th district held a protest about the Iran war, exploding gas prices, and Washington’s endless appetite for military spending.
At the protest, Distill spoke with Steven Monti, a veteran from the greater Lansing area who lives in Tom Barrett’s district. Monti said he feels betrayed by his congressman, specifically pointing to what he described as Barrett’s actions cutting VA healthcare. ( Clip of our conversation below 👇)
This war, undertaken illegally by Trump, is in violation of international law and was functionally unprovoked. It doesn’t serve the American people in any way.
The United States has been entangled in seemingly endless conflicts in the Middle East for decades. Throughout this endless war, America’s leaders have put oil executives and egomanics ahead of the American people.
Distill has our own ideas about a better way to spend $43.6 billion. We could buy 1.9 trillion pieces of sidewalk chalk to terrify Tom Barrett. He would be too scared to leave his office though, it’s not like he shows up in the 7th district anyway.
Super scary Tom, we know…. Happy October everyone! 👻
On a final note..
Last week at a protest in district, a local veteran, US Army Main Sgt Retired, Duane Kleinhardt, who served alongside Tom Barrett is now calling him out over his votes in Congress, saying Barrett has made life harder for working people and veterans while backing a costly war many Americans never wanted.
For this retired Army Sgt Major, service means accountability. He has yet to have an opportunity to speak to his congressman.
Sounds like the veterans have spoken, Tom and they’ve decided two years with you was more than enough. ( We hope he reads this!)
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Don’t forget to say why the U.S. has been entangled in 30 years of pointless wars in the Middle East…our government is owned by Zionists who use our taxes to do Israel’s bidding. Wake up to the uniparty that answers to the Epstein class.