What We Could Have Done With the Money: 50 Ways to Send the Trillion Dollars We've Spent on Iraq

By Rob Simpson

The war in Iraq is not only controversial, it's also astronomically expensive. Now Rob Simpson answers the question many concerned Americans have been asking: Wasn't there some other way the government could have spent one trillion of our tax dollars? What We Could Have Done with the Money presents 50 thought-provoking spending alternatives. With a trillion dollars, we could . . . Fix Social Security right now: Stop worrying. Stop debating. It's done. Over. Fixed. End homelessness in America: House 15 million homeless families, get a million kids out of foster care, and have change to spare Give everyone in the world satellite TV: Can we have the revolution later? I'm watching CSI right now. Pay everyone in Iraq to be nice to each other: Hey If someone tripled your salary for the next 20 years, wouldn't you behave? Go Green: Give 100 million car buyers a $10,000 subsidy on their hybrid. Or gold . . .: Pave every highway in America with gold leaf. Play ball : Fly everyone in Iraq to America, put them up in a nice hotel for three days with all the extras, take them to a baseball game and fly them home . . . and have a lot leftover. Cure cancer: Double research spending for as long as it takes. . . . not to mention paying all credit card debt, buying everyone in the world an iPod, building 75 million solar-powered homes, and 39 other revealing pipe dreams. Shocking, thought-provoking, and incredibly entertaining, Simpson takes a hard look at the government's top priorities--both what they are and what they should be.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1401323081
• ISBN13: 9781401323080
• Release Date: July 2008
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.28 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.3" x 8.0"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

It makes me cry.

There's nothing I didn't really know in this book. We all know it. We know a trillion is a very big number. But this book does a very good job of making clear how much that could have bought us in worthwhile pursuits and anyone can see how little it has bought us in Iraq. The result is a tragedy of Greek proportions. If you ever thought Bush might be America's Nero, this book will leave you with no doubt.

A great and funny eye opener.

Ok, so this book was quite an eye opener and had hilarious moments when it came to suggesting ways we could have used the money we have spent fighting in Iraq. I loved every minute of it. It is a quick read or one that you can come back to in bites. The author has quite an easy and ironic tone of voice throughout. It was fun without being preachy, and its true call to action for every American to hold their government accountable will hopefully get us all to act. It was funny and sad all at the same time.