[jmoak]

Agreed, on healthcare our government spends ~2x the amount it spends on defense.

Medicare: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/W824RC1 ($0.99t)

Medicaid: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/W729RC1 ($0.95t)

Defense: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FDEFX ($1.048t)

What should a good ratio be?

[rqtwteye]

We also spend around way more per capita on health care than any other country. I bet both health care and defense expenditures could be reduced significantly if they were run with at least a little efficiency and less profit making by middlemen.

[tptacek]

Depending on who you categorize as "middlemen", this health analysis is a common misconception: our outsized health care spending comes from providers, not insurers/payers. We just do more procedures (we lead the world in making procedures doable quickly and outpatient-ly) and pay our medical staff more.

[deciplex]

That would defeat the purpose of our health care system and military-industrial complex.

[bobthepanda]

it would be nice if America could do the minimum that the rest of NATO theoretically agree to and spend just 2% of GDP on defense. Right now that figure is 2.9%.

[hollerith]

Consider that most industrialized countries would have nukes by now if the US hadn't guaranteed to come to their aid if they are attacked by a nuclear power in exchange for their not trying to acquire nukes.

[baerrie]

Unfortunately among higher order mammals one being above the rest usually is one of the few ways to have peace.