Romney's Other 47% Problem | Harvey Sapolsky and Benjamin H. Friedman | Cato Institute: Commentary

Romney's Other 47% Problem | Harvey Sapolsky and Benjamin H. Friedman | Cato Institute: Commentary: "But if he still wants to attack those who freeload off of U.S. taxpayers, there is a better target: Our wealthy overseas allies.

Forty-seven percent is also roughly the U.S. share of global military spending. Our annual $700 billion-plus military budget exceeds the next 10 biggest military budgets combined. Much of that money buys forces needed to defend allies against threats they could afford to meet themselves. Alliances that once served the U.S. national interest have become a subsidy to rich allies."

"while Americans spend about $2,700 per capita annually on the military, NATO allies average around $500.

More than 20 years after the end of the Cold War, Europeans sit in cafes while over 80,000 American service personnel still help guard Europe against Russia, which now has a GDP around the size of Spain and Portugal combined."