The average US taxpayer sent $58 to fund antiwar diplomacy efforts versus $5,109 for militarism and its support systems.
By Lindsay Koshgarian, TRUTHOUT
Every year at tax time, the National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies releases a tax receipt to show where your federal income tax dollars go.
![US budget on a frisbee, showing that Pentagon budget is more than 50% of US budget, Des Moines, Iowa](https://progressivehub.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Shutterstock_106126571-uai-258x145.jpg)
Every year, militarism in all its forms is one of the biggest expenses on the receipt. From war and weapons, to deportations and detentions, to prisons and policing, budgeting choices made in Congress mean that every U.S. taxpayer will contribute to these systems of violence and oppression. By comparison, almost every constructive government program — from public health and environmental protection to education and disaster management — is woefully underfunded.
For 2023, the average taxpayer will have contributed $5,109 to militarism and its support systems, including war and the military, homeland security, federal law enforcement and veterans’ programs. The biggest portion of that tax bill is for the Pentagon itself at $2,974. More than half of that, $1,748, goes to corporate contractors that benefit from U.S. militarism. That’s more than the average monthly rent in the United States.
Recent Posts
VIDEO: A Blueprint For Countering American Fascism
July 26, 2024
Take Action Now Our First Annual Henry A. Wallace Symposium offered lessons from real-life heartland organizers on how to fight for a multiracial…
Gavin Newsom Orders Removal Of Homeless Encampments
July 26, 2024
Take Action Now “The only way to end homeless encampments in California is to end the need for homeless encampments,” an expert said.…
The Crackdown On Antisemitism Doesn’t Have Much To Do With Antisemitism
July 26, 2024
Take Action Now Republican lawmakers increasingly conflate anti-Zionism with antisemitism in an effort limit pro-Palestine speech and criticism of…
Netanyahu’s Unhinged And Bellicose Congressional Address Draws Scorn
July 25, 2024
Take Action Now ‘Our enemies are your enemies,’ the prime minister insisted, setting up confrontation with Iran. By Blaise Malley,…