Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna

The Constitution is pretty silent on both military and social spending, other than the brief statements in the Preamble...

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

As it should be, the meaning of these words is left to considerable interpretation. Are the military actions begun in 2001 and continuing today in two Middle Eastern countries providing "for the common defence"? Is the current consideration of healthcare legislation "promoting the general welfare"? I think it could be argued that both are consistent with the Constitution. Neither is required by the Constitution, but neither is inconsistent with our fundamental law.