Here & Now Anytime Is Cuba about to collapse?
Mar 23, 2026
Jeffrey DeLaurentis, former top U.S. diplomat in Havana, examines Cuban political stability. Linda Bilmes, Harvard public finance professor, outlines the true long-term costs of war. Eric O'Denius, ex-DHS immigration officer turned paralegal, recounts his shift and views on enforcement. They discuss U.S. pressure on Cuba, the fiscal toll of conflict, and the changing landscape of immigration work.
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Early Days Of The Iran War Blew Up The Budget
- The Iran war's immediate budgetary costs are enormous and escalating quickly.
- Linda Bilmes notes initial days cost billions and the administration sought a $200 billion immediate request plus an unprecedented defense budget increase.
Veteran Care Is The Hidden Multi‑Decade Cost Of War
- Long-term veteran care dramatically multiplies war costs over decades.
- Bilmes highlights that short wars still created lifetime obligations, citing 1991 Gulf War veterans where 37% later received lifetime benefits.
We Finance Wars By Borrowing Now And Passing Costs Forward
- Modern U.S. wars are financed by borrowing rather than higher taxes, shifting costs to future generations.
- Bilmes explains post-9/11 policy cut taxes and increased non-war spending, leaving current wars paid through debt and interest.