Government officials estimate the price of war in Iraq ranges between $6 and $9 billion per month. It's staggering to think of the financial resources such heavy spending drains away from schools and universities, economic development programs, and basic community infrastructure like roads, sewers, and internet in the United States.
Another casualty of the war is a visionary plan to restore the nation's oasis, the Great Lakes. Public officials say the plan is essential to modernize the regional economy, safeguard public health, cleanup the environment, and improve the quality of life in the heart of the nation. But, they also say in unison, there's no money to fund it.
Obviously, federal, state, and local governments spend plenty of tax-payer dollars. The cost of the war now exceeds $307 billion, according to the National Priorities Project and government documents. In fact, based on the most conservative estimate, four months of spending on the war would fully fund the proposed Great Lakes cleanup. Take a few more months of war funding and we could network the entire region with high-speed train lines that connect all major cities, reduce traffic congestion in places like Detroit and Chicago, and improve mobility across the second most productive regional economy in the country.
Money is available to do just about whatever is needed. It's a matter of setting priorities and investing strategically for the future.
