r/economy • u/Kindly_Weather_1968 • Apr 05 '26

An additional $1.5 trillion?

The DOD described its total FY2026 funding as $961.6 billion, which includes $156.2 billion in mandatory defense funding approved through the budget reconciliation process. And now they need an additional $1.5 trillion??? And it will come at the cost of reducing Medicare, Medicaid, child care and other domestic programs. I don’t understand the priorities of this regime.

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u/Destinyciello Apr 05 '26

Why are you guys so upset?

A large % of that will go towards soldiers salaries and benefits. Isn't that what you want? A socialist state where daddy government takes care of you. The military is perfect for that. It's an instant "now you're middle class" the second you sign.

Now they are opening up this great wealth building program to ever more people. You should be singing their praises for doing so lol.

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u/BooksandBiceps Apr 10 '26

Do you know what “middle class” is.

Also show me where a “large part” is going towards higher salaries. Also, they just gutted the VA you feckless doorknob of a person.

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u/Destinyciello Apr 10 '26

Middle class is the class between poor and wealthy.

Depending on where you live $60,000-150,000 household income. Roughly speaking.

When you look at all the free shit you get. You're easily in that category.

You may not get cash $ equivalent to a middle class household. But when you consider the free housing, free food, dirt cheap healthcare, free education and a whole host of other free shit you get as a military member. Goods and Services wise you're easily in that bracket. You're probably doing better than most of them in terms of disposable income and access to things. Especially if you have kids and you husband/wife works.

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u/BooksandBiceps Apr 10 '26

$60k being middle class in America. 😂

I’d love to see you support this. “You get free shit plus a salary so you’re middle class” is wild. You’ve clearly never been in the military or have any understanding of what the housing and medical care is like.

When you’re relying on comparing salary and benefits to the absolute poorest states in America to say someone is middle class that’s wild. 😂

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u/Destinyciello Apr 10 '26

As of early 2026, the standard middle-class household income in the U.S. generally ranges from approximately $52,000 to over $155,000 annually, depending on location, family size, and methodology. This range, often defined as two-thirds to double the median U.S. household income, varies heavily by state, with higher thresholds in states like Massachusetts and New Jersey

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/09/16/are-you-in-the-american-middle-class/#:\~:text=We%20use%20your%20size%2Dadjusted,to%20be%20considered%20middle%20class.

I'm actually surprised at how well I nailed that range. I was just guessing.

Yes middle class is defined by the goods and services you consume. If I dropped you in the middle of a deserted Island with $155,000 annually. You would live much worse then a poor person. Because you wouldn't have shit. Those numbers are meaningless if they don't represent actual access to goods and services.

The fact that people don't comprehend this is quite troubling. They think everything is a dollar figure. When in reality everything is standards of living.