What They Really Mean When They Say 'We Can’t Afford It'
The money’s always there. The will to spend it on us isn’t.
You’ve heard it a thousand times:
"We just can’t afford it."
Universal healthcare? Too expensive.
Student debt relief? Not in the budget.
A living wage? Maybe next decade.
But here’s the truth: they’re not talking about money. They’re talking about priorities.
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Let’s be blunt: the U.S. has more than enough money to fund the basics of a decent life for everyone.
We’re the richest nation in history.
And yet, when it comes to healthcare, education, housing, or even clean water, suddenly the well runs dry.
Why?
Because “we can’t afford it” is a political choice—not a financial reality.
Here’s how that lie works:
The money is real. We always find it for war, tax cuts, or bailouts.
The scarcity is manufactured. Deficits are only scary when spending helps working people.
The media amplifies it. Talking heads obsess over budgets only when social programs are on the table.
This rhetoric is a tool.
It shifts blame away from the powerful and discourages us from even imagining something better.
But here’s the kicker: the lie sticks because it’s wrapped in false fairness.
“We’d love to help,” they say. “But we just don’t have the money.”
Meanwhile:
Billionaires see their wealth triple.
Corporations pay zero in taxes.
The Pentagon gets a raise every year.
It’s not about can’t. It’s about won’t.
The next time a politician says “we can’t afford it,” ask:
Who wrote that budget?
Who benefits from keeping things exactly as they are?
What would it look like if we spent based on values instead of profits?
Because we’re not broke.
We’re being robbed.
And the more we repeat their line, the more we help them do it.
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