Trump's Birthday Parade Will Cost Millions

We can think of better ways to use those funds

Bear with me for a moment. I’ve been reading about the plan for a military parade in D.C. on June 14^th, to mark the 250^th anniversary of the U.S. army. And what a coincidence! It’s also our President’s 79^th birthday. More here, here here, here.

Everyone loves a parade, and Mr. Trump is especially fond of military parades, especially after witnessing France's Bastille Day celebration in 2017. He tried to organize one in 2018, but costs and logistical concerns put the kibosh on it.

But this time, it’s all systems go – and it’s going to go BIG! So big in fact, it’s set to be one of the most significant military parades in U.S. history. It will involve approximately 6,600 soldiers from all Army divisions, 150 military vehicles (including tanks and armored vehicles), 50 helicopters, and seven military bands. And it comes with a pretty hefty price tag, estimated around $45 million (with individual Army units ultimately bearing the cost of the parade).

That’s a good chunk of change, but Mr. Trump said it would be worth it. In fact, he said it would be “Peanuts compared to the value of doing it.” He waxed on to note that “We have the greatest missiles in the world. We have the greatest submarines in the world. We have the greatest army tanks in the world. We have the greatest weapons in the world. And we’re going to celebrate it.” No doubt, it will be the greatest, the biggest, the very best parade in history.

And there will be even more! Like performances by the Golden Knights parachute team, fireworks, and historical reenactments and equipment from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It will be a day-long celebration of our nation’s military might. [Though not sure how they plan to include submarines in the parade. Maybe paper maché?]

Now, I don’t want to rain on Mr. Trump’s big parade. But it does smack of narcissism and the kind of personal displays of power favored by authoritarian regimes. Like North Korea. In response, a coalition named "No Kings" is organizing nationwide protests on June 14, emphasizing democratic values and opposing what they view as monarchical displays.

Plus spending millions on an extravaganza while cutting departments, programs, and some essential services across the federal government, including cuts to scientific research, school lunches and hunger programs, does raise eyebrows and concerns about the President’s priorities.

Crowdsourcing Ideas

I realize the parade and multi-million dollar celebration is a done deal. But I suspect SciLight readers would have other ideas on how our federal government could better spend that $42 million to advance the public good. Here are a few ideas to get us started; please add your two cents in the comments.

· Provide universal health coverage; enact Medicare for All (read more about it here)

· Ensure adequate staffing and funding for our science, worker safety, and public health agencies

· Retain/restore/enhance funding for research grants, student stipends, and fellowships in our nation’s colleges and universities. [$42 mil in science grants is worth far more to the country than a parade.]

· ADD YOUR IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS IN THE COMMENTS.