High Cost of the B-2 Stealth Bomber

On July 18, the lead story in The Times hailed the first flight of the B-2 stealth bomber. Of course, also referenced was the price of $530 million per plane, and a total of over $70 billion to fund the total quantity requested by the Defense Department.

Also on the front page that day was a story relating how 39 million impoverished Americans (that’s 17% of the total population) lacked access to health care and would die needlessly from cancer. That estimated 39 million living below the poverty level would have a survival rate up to 15% below that of other Americans for lack of funds.

On Page 6 of that same issue, a story related how the U.S. was prepared to pay $30 million to survivors of passengers who perished on the ill-fated Iran Air Flight 655 accidentally shot down by the U.S. cruiser Vincennes.

During his 10-day swing through Europe, President Bush offered to provide Poland with $100 million as a gesture of good will. During that same 10-day period, the news media carried a story that the U.S. is participating in a multibillion debt reduction plan for Mexico. This in spite of the fact that we are the world’s greatest debtor nation (in excess of $547 billion).

Have we got our priorities mixed up? Where, may I ask, is Bush’s “kinder, gentler America” that he promised during his campaign? In what direction are his “thousand points of light” pointing?

When will our political leaders open their eyes to the multitude of problems in our country and stop giving away the store? Even worse, when will the American voters stop believing in the fairy tales related by a “charismatic ex-President,” his successor, and the “snake oil sales” of politicians? Isn’t it time to clean house or must we wait for the house to completely collapse?

BEN URMAN

Van Nuys