I've been snarkily repeating the idea that the CBO should score the American military action in Libya -- asking if it's "deficit neutral" and all that. But I'm deadly serious. If Washington can execute an air war in North Africa at the drop of a hat without even mentioning the deficit, or where the money will come from, then we shouldn't have been so frantically and exhaustively scoring the healthcare reform legislation for its fiscal responsibility, etc...
Put another way: How are the Libyan people more important than the healthcare of the American people?
I understand the "Why We Fight" system, but it doesn't make it any more digestible -- especially coming from this administration, which is prepared to meet the Republicans halfway on their austerity cuts while also leaping into a No Fly Zone situation without even pretending to care about how it will be financed. Of course, double shame on the Republicans who can't wait to screw everyone with massive cuts, while also enthusiastically cheerleading an all out war in Libya.
So I write again: When will the CBO score the No Fly Zone for its impact on the deficit? We deserve to know why Libya is more worthy of deficit spending than is just about every social program in America, including the National Parks, NIH, CDC, Planned Parenthood, WIC, tsunami warning stations, NOAA and all the rest of it.