Ben Cohen, you are so full of ice cream or did you drink the cool-aid? Federal spending is not the whole picture. Locally/annually we spend ~$10K per student for a total of 60 cookies; your education example is short by about 56 cookies.
HOw deceptive! you have pulled Ss and HC out and dont include them in your pie, so that you can say that the military is 50% come on. You have some good points, but they are lost due to your intellectual dishonesty. It is all of those social programs that have caused most of our problems and the costs associated. I agree that we need to cut fraud, waste and abuse in our military spending, as well as in every other area, but some otf the programs you would increase need to be cut altogether
SS and HC are entitlement program so basically it shouldn't be budgeted or touched upon. The reasoning for SS and HC not to be touched is that it's the citizens' money to begin with. The fed government is only BORROWING it and they're suppose to give it back.
He clearly stated that he's only talking about the federal discretion budget at 1:16. The leftover or the federal discretion budget which is the amount of money left over to be allocated in different programs.
@Col316Sing Social Security is not 'discretionary' spending. Really, Defense isn't either, but it's included here so that Ben can make his numbers look like he's smart. Keep in mind what Ben's all about. He's anti-military, pro-social programs, and reaps the benefits of capitalism every day of his life while claiming to support the Occupy movement.
So this guy wants to redistribute wealth. No where in here does he talk about letting American people keep their own property (money), but instead where the government should spend other peoples money.
Sorry, I don't like Marxism. I do agree that we spend too much on defense and intruding in other nations business around the world when we shouldn't be, but I also don't feel we should intrude in American's lives by TAKING their property to give to others whom the gov't feels needs it.
how bout an across the board budget cut of 5% so we can begin to get somewhat close to balancing budget. The part of this video he doesnt get is we dont have any excess money of any kind. We are broke.
Where there is genuine waste in the military, no one disputes ending it! It exists only because whistleblowers' cries fall on apathetic public ears. But does Ben think federal spending will suddenly become efficient by redirecting it? Ben underestimates the potential threat from "friends" who decide we are vulnerable, and the cost of protection from primitive terrorist booby traps. He overestimates the benefits of federal involvement in charity.
Where there is genuine waste in the military, no one disputes ending it! It exists only because whistleblowers' cries fall on apathetic public ears. But does Ben think federal spending will suddenly become efficient by redirecting it? Ben underestimates the potential threat from "friends" who decide we are vulnerable, and the cost of protection from primitive terrorist booby traps. He overestimates the benefits of federal involvement in charity.
When you spend half your paycheck on beer and smokes but do not have enough to pay your electric bill......you do not need a payraise because you don't earn enough to pay your electric bill.......you need to drink and smoke a little less.
Nine-Eleven happened with our military budget sky high. Our military served no usefull purpose on sept. 11th. yeah, money well wasted.
Russia and the US have hundreds of >megaton bombs on alert, ready to launch on warning in less than thirty minutes. Right now. Accidents happen. They almost have.
I wrote more in my previous comment, but exceeded character limits and couldn't figure out how to use the system to get optimal text in. A lot of detail is gone. One thing - I exaggerated. The Hiroshima bomb was only 12.5 kilotons, not 20. 80 times that is 1 megaton. Most of our ready-to launch bombs are bigger than 80 X Hiroshima.
Russia and the US have hundreds of >megaton bombs on alert, ready to launch on warning in less than thirty minutes. Right now. Accidents happen. They almost have.
I wrote more in my previous comment, but exceeded character limits and couldn't figure out how to use the system to get optimal text in. A lot of detail is gone. One thing - I exaggerated. The Hiroshima bomb was only 12.5 kilotons, not 20. 80 times that is 1 megaton. Most of our ready-to launch bombs are bigger than 80 X Hiroshima.
Russia and the US have hundreds of >megaton bombs on alert, ready to launch on warning in less than thirty minutes. Right now. Accidents happen. They almost have.
I wrote more in my previous comment, but exceeded character limits and couldn't figure out how to use the system to get optimal text in. A lot of detail is gone. One thing - I exaggerated. The Hiroshima bomb was only 12.5 kilotons, not 20. 80 times that is 1 megaton. Most of our ready-to launch bombs are bigger than 80 X Hiroshima.
"One of our nuclear bombs blows up Hiroshima fifteen times over," Jerry and the Admiral said.
This is an understatement. The Hiroshima bomb was less than 20 kilotons. Fifteen times twenty equals 300 kilotons. The power of many of our strategic hydrogen bombs has been set at something like 9 megatons. A kiloton is 1000 tons of TNT. A megaton is 1000 times that, or one million tons of TNT.
that don't care for anyone ( at least that's the guilt trip we are always handed). Oh and let us not forget that good ol' stimulus moola handed over to GM, who by the way, has moved their manufacturing plants to China and are now going to import 50,000 units to the U.S. Yeah, change we can believe in.
Every time Hillary lands in another country she hands over at least 1 million dollars in tribute. Let's see 100 million was just coughed up to Hati because they got hit with an earthquake and now we are gonna give Chile a bunch because if we don't we're nothing but a bunch of greedy bastards
Hey don't bitch about spending money on defense. Bitch about the way your buddies in Washington are throwing money into the air every time a foreign country wants their cut.
I cant believe how misleading is. He ADMITS on the Colbert Report that his pie chart is only the discrectionary budget, which is only 32% of the entire federal budget. The rest of the federal budget the mandatory budget, which is ALL entitlements. Meaning that it would take 1 and a half extra pie charts to include entitlement spending into the equation. True majority is full of shit! They are intentionally misleading. They dont WANT to include entitlement spending.
@falltwoep He said that fact near the start of the video, that the pie chart was for the *discrectionary* part of the budget. Nothing underhanded about it.
He also pointed out that the military gets money to pay for BOTH wars and that money is NOT included in that total dollar amount either. Very honest even if it isn't what you want to hear. Sometimes the REAL truth hurts.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
This presentation would be fine if it were the Federal Governements job to educate, help world hunger, or care for people. According to the constitution the Federal Governements job is to "protect our borders" and settle disputes between states of the REPUBLIC". We should cut all other federal spending except defense and let the individual states do as they wish with the rest of the problems. Didn't anyone read the constitution in high school? READ IT!
1-the government's job is to serve the people from whom it derives it's power. The founding fathers knew this which is why the Deceleration of Independence is worded the way it is.
2-both state and federal spending are government spending
3-this isn't an issue of being a republic it's about state vs federal power, and decentralization of power is a main reason why the south lost
4-the constitution is a living document that's changed with the times
"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist." - Eisenhower 1961
What Ike said in 1961 has come true with a vengence. Put another way, half of all our taxes are going to the military industrial complex and other corporate welfare whores.
Great video. Government is not always bad. However, it seems that lately whenever someone gets elected (almost always from the GOP) who says government is bad - proves their point as soon as they start their terms.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
The cookie demonstration, is nothing more than a slight of hand card trick. Give the tax money back to the taxpayers. Big government is the problem, not how you shuffle cookies. The nanny state needs to be fired for Americans are paying for the warfare, welfare state to our demise.
What you're suggesting is extreme and unlikely to happen. Wouldn't you prefer to see Cohen et al's ideas implemented than what we have now? At least give it a chance. I suppose you're probably an idealogue whose unlikely to change your views no matter what, but you shouldn't be. It's unlikely that Friedman and Ron Paul are going to get their ideas implemented anytime soon. Why not try having the govt work for the people?
School districts had total expenditures of approximately $596.6 billion in 2007–08
nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp
School districts had total expenditures of approximately $596.6 billion in 2007–08
smvdriver 1 month ago
Here are the 60 cookies.
.
smvdriver 1 month ago
Ben Cohen, you are so full of ice cream or did you drink the cool-aid? Federal spending is not the whole picture. Locally/annually we spend ~$10K per student for a total of 60 cookies; your education example is short by about 56 cookies.
To bad you have shortchanged the truth.
smvdriver 1 month ago
this is only 2007! ben should do this every year. then we'd all wake up
dogfight156 8 months ago
@dogfight156 agreed. Ben would you get us an updated version? the new numbers are even more staggering.
ghostofzigz 6 months ago
Thumbs up if it's time for changes in our spending!
alika207 9 months ago
HOw deceptive! you have pulled Ss and HC out and dont include them in your pie, so that you can say that the military is 50% come on. You have some good points, but they are lost due to your intellectual dishonesty. It is all of those social programs that have caused most of our problems and the costs associated. I agree that we need to cut fraud, waste and abuse in our military spending, as well as in every other area, but some otf the programs you would increase need to be cut altogether
Col316Sing 9 months ago
@Col316Sing
SS and HC are entitlement program so basically it shouldn't be budgeted or touched upon. The reasoning for SS and HC not to be touched is that it's the citizens' money to begin with. The fed government is only BORROWING it and they're suppose to give it back.
He clearly stated that he's only talking about the federal discretion budget at 1:16. The leftover or the federal discretion budget which is the amount of money left over to be allocated in different programs.
crazychubba 7 months ago
@Col316Sing Social Security is not 'discretionary' spending. Really, Defense isn't either, but it's included here so that Ben can make his numbers look like he's smart. Keep in mind what Ben's all about. He's anti-military, pro-social programs, and reaps the benefits of capitalism every day of his life while claiming to support the Occupy movement.
Myuzishin 2 months ago in playlist ben cohen of ben and jerry's
time for much smaller government--Thats not only a good thing--its coming anyway
woggle24 10 months ago
Excellent, Ben, thank you. I do think we would really help our nation with putting money into infrastructure also.
MsBelindaLee 11 months ago
Aaaagh, a pie chart! Any proper statistician should hate these awful visualisations. Keep the pie for dessert and not for charts.
metalbucket2 11 months ago
@metalbucket2 what , he did say "i'm a dessert guy." =)
MrExplosionsHurt 10 months ago
So this guy wants to redistribute wealth. No where in here does he talk about letting American people keep their own property (money), but instead where the government should spend other peoples money.
Sorry, I don't like Marxism. I do agree that we spend too much on defense and intruding in other nations business around the world when we shouldn't be, but I also don't feel we should intrude in American's lives by TAKING their property to give to others whom the gov't feels needs it.
lilmac929 1 year ago
@lilmac929 I don't like Marxism either, but the power to tax is written into the Constitution. Why do you hate America?
mfnickster 1 year ago
@lilmac929 True, I dont like myh Tax money going to JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs to give 100 million dollar bonuses to their Executives
enkelin32 1 year ago 3
how bout an across the board budget cut of 5% so we can begin to get somewhat close to balancing budget. The part of this video he doesnt get is we dont have any excess money of any kind. We are broke.
casienwhey 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Where there is genuine waste in the military, no one disputes ending it! It exists only because whistleblowers' cries fall on apathetic public ears. But does Ben think federal spending will suddenly become efficient by redirecting it? Ben underestimates the potential threat from "friends" who decide we are vulnerable, and the cost of protection from primitive terrorist booby traps. He overestimates the benefits of federal involvement in charity.
BibleWizard2 1 year ago
Where there is genuine waste in the military, no one disputes ending it! It exists only because whistleblowers' cries fall on apathetic public ears. But does Ben think federal spending will suddenly become efficient by redirecting it? Ben underestimates the potential threat from "friends" who decide we are vulnerable, and the cost of protection from primitive terrorist booby traps. He overestimates the benefits of federal involvement in charity.
BibleWizard2 1 year ago
When you spend half your paycheck on beer and smokes but do not have enough to pay your electric bill......you do not need a payraise because you don't earn enough to pay your electric bill.......you need to drink and smoke a little less.
Nine-Eleven happened with our military budget sky high. Our military served no usefull purpose on sept. 11th. yeah, money well wasted.
dodgyhingst 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Russia and the US have hundreds of >megaton bombs on alert, ready to launch on warning in less than thirty minutes. Right now. Accidents happen. They almost have.
I wrote more in my previous comment, but exceeded character limits and couldn't figure out how to use the system to get optimal text in. A lot of detail is gone. One thing - I exaggerated. The Hiroshima bomb was only 12.5 kilotons, not 20. 80 times that is 1 megaton. Most of our ready-to launch bombs are bigger than 80 X Hiroshima.
bocklook 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Russia and the US have hundreds of >megaton bombs on alert, ready to launch on warning in less than thirty minutes. Right now. Accidents happen. They almost have.
I wrote more in my previous comment, but exceeded character limits and couldn't figure out how to use the system to get optimal text in. A lot of detail is gone. One thing - I exaggerated. The Hiroshima bomb was only 12.5 kilotons, not 20. 80 times that is 1 megaton. Most of our ready-to launch bombs are bigger than 80 X Hiroshima.
bocklook 1 year ago
Russia and the US have hundreds of >megaton bombs on alert, ready to launch on warning in less than thirty minutes. Right now. Accidents happen. They almost have.
I wrote more in my previous comment, but exceeded character limits and couldn't figure out how to use the system to get optimal text in. A lot of detail is gone. One thing - I exaggerated. The Hiroshima bomb was only 12.5 kilotons, not 20. 80 times that is 1 megaton. Most of our ready-to launch bombs are bigger than 80 X Hiroshima.
bocklook 1 year ago
"One of our nuclear bombs blows up Hiroshima fifteen times over," Jerry and the Admiral said.
This is an understatement. The Hiroshima bomb was less than 20 kilotons. Fifteen times twenty equals 300 kilotons. The power of many of our strategic hydrogen bombs has been set at something like 9 megatons. A kiloton is 1000 tons of TNT. A megaton is 1000 times that, or one million tons of TNT.
bocklook 1 year ago
And it is social security and medicare spending that will bankrupt the USA over th long-term, NOT the defense budget!
ericclaptonismygod31 1 year ago
that don't care for anyone ( at least that's the guilt trip we are always handed). Oh and let us not forget that good ol' stimulus moola handed over to GM, who by the way, has moved their manufacturing plants to China and are now going to import 50,000 units to the U.S. Yeah, change we can believe in.
elmondo033057 2 years ago
Every time Hillary lands in another country she hands over at least 1 million dollars in tribute. Let's see 100 million was just coughed up to Hati because they got hit with an earthquake and now we are gonna give Chile a bunch because if we don't we're nothing but a bunch of greedy bastards
elmondo033057 2 years ago
Hey don't bitch about spending money on defense. Bitch about the way your buddies in Washington are throwing money into the air every time a foreign country wants their cut.
elmondo033057 2 years ago
I cant believe how misleading is. He ADMITS on the Colbert Report that his pie chart is only the discrectionary budget, which is only 32% of the entire federal budget. The rest of the federal budget the mandatory budget, which is ALL entitlements. Meaning that it would take 1 and a half extra pie charts to include entitlement spending into the equation. True majority is full of shit! They are intentionally misleading. They dont WANT to include entitlement spending.
falltwoep 2 years ago
@falltwoep He said that fact near the start of the video, that the pie chart was for the *discrectionary* part of the budget. Nothing underhanded about it.
He also pointed out that the military gets money to pay for BOTH wars and that money is NOT included in that total dollar amount either. Very honest even if it isn't what you want to hear. Sometimes the REAL truth hurts.
dodgyhingst 1 year ago
Comment removed
Metro586 3 years ago
Comment removed
Metro586 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
This presentation would be fine if it were the Federal Governements job to educate, help world hunger, or care for people. According to the constitution the Federal Governements job is to "protect our borders" and settle disputes between states of the REPUBLIC". We should cut all other federal spending except defense and let the individual states do as they wish with the rest of the problems. Didn't anyone read the constitution in high school? READ IT!
Metro586 3 years ago
1-the government's job is to serve the people from whom it derives it's power. The founding fathers knew this which is why the Deceleration of Independence is worded the way it is.
2-both state and federal spending are government spending
3-this isn't an issue of being a republic it's about state vs federal power, and decentralization of power is a main reason why the south lost
4-the constitution is a living document that's changed with the times
5-those things -are- tied to our security
ThoughtRipple 3 years ago
wow, ben, thank you for the ice cream...I mean this video, I won't know any of thses thing, thanks.
yimtang9 3 years ago 2
Awesome Video thank you
Actongue 3 years ago
We need to remember our own common sense, which has been asleep while twinkle-toes has been in office.
Finkelstein 3 years ago 3
"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist." - Eisenhower 1961
What Ike said in 1961 has come true with a vengence. Put another way, half of all our taxes are going to the military industrial complex and other corporate welfare whores.
cybold2 3 years ago 5
Great video. Government is not always bad. However, it seems that lately whenever someone gets elected (almost always from the GOP) who says government is bad - proves their point as soon as they start their terms.
tuberreg 4 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
The cookie demonstration, is nothing more than a slight of hand card trick. Give the tax money back to the taxpayers. Big government is the problem, not how you shuffle cookies. The nanny state needs to be fired for Americans are paying for the warfare, welfare state to our demise.
AMERICANSTEW5 4 years ago
What you're suggesting is extreme and unlikely to happen. Wouldn't you prefer to see Cohen et al's ideas implemented than what we have now? At least give it a chance. I suppose you're probably an idealogue whose unlikely to change your views no matter what, but you shouldn't be. It's unlikely that Friedman and Ron Paul are going to get their ideas implemented anytime soon. Why not try having the govt work for the people?
eirefrance 4 years ago
Great video. But I'm not sure about the part about Russia being an ally. Though I'd still like to visit.
kenner116 4 years ago
So that's why this war is an 'emergency appropriation!' Our deficit is $50 trillion! This cookie analogy should be in commericals.
mystykit 4 years ago