And our defense budget increases

[Chad32]

War is just far too profitable to ignore, even when Rome is burning under their feet.

That's exactly the problem.  Whenever billionaires can turn a profit by convincing the government to piss money away on something, we're gonna spend away.  Private prisons aren't much better.  I mean, seriously, remember how Republicans were constantly bitching about government spending when Obama was president?  Now that their man is in charge, the first thing they do is approve funds for more military and a big, ridiculous wall.  Cut government spending, my ass.

Part of me wants to find a way for billionaires to turn a profit by fighting poverty, educating people and expanding healthcare.

Unfortunately spending money on poverty and healthcare is a bit of a sinkhole. At least as far as healthcare for the poor. I don't know what they have against education, except that they know people who are more educated are harder to control. I don't know why people feel the need to be billionaires or whatever. It's just a whole other existence than us down here.