Helping the Have Nots -- How to Get There

Rick notes that reallocating ice cream money to immunizations would require the government to obtain the money through taxation.  Alternatively, it could simply require citizens to elect officials who will rethink our national spending priorities.  The point is not to get me to stop buying ice cream (though maybe I should spend less on it), but to get me to acknowledge that empowering the government to provide immunizations would not pose an onerous tax burden unless I view as onerous a tax burden that is equivalent to the amount I spend on ice cream (or pet food, etc.).  I know of one enormous pot of federal money that currently is being spent with dubious justification and with very little to show in return.  Susan's statistics are important because they give context to our society's spending decisions.  My spending priorities should be reflected in my own lifestyle, but they also should be articulable in terms of political accountability.