20 years of Afghanistan was the largest transfer of wealth possibly in history. The Global War of Terror was a giant government contract money hustle.

People could have kept it, and paid off their mortgages early.

Gee ya even fix our railroad tracks so that you don't have to have a death wish to take amtrak.
We could, should, look as prosperous as Dubai. (In good weather anyway) That we look Third World is an actual embarrassment.