How the U.S. Spends Its Dollars Every Second, In One GIF

$15,700 per second. That's how much the U.S. will spend on defense and intelligence in 2015, according to President Obama's proposed budget.

This amount is 100 times greater than what the government invests in cancer research, and 235 times greater than what it invests in renewable energy research.

This is not okay. As America continues to act as the world's police force — this time in Syria and Iraq to destroy ISIS — its out-of-whack military budget is clearer now than ever: 

Discretionary spending shown for selected agencies and programs, based on proposed 2015 budget. Sources: President Obama's Budget for 2015, Dept. of Education, National Institutes of Health.

Ensuring security is a key function of government, but not the only one. America's domestic problems — poverty, inequality, failing schools and climate change — need far more resources and attention.

While the U.S. can't remove evil from the world, it might be able to make progress on some of those other problems. But first, it needs to step down as the world's police officer.

Yes, the Islamic State is a particularly barbaric group. But it's also just the latest version of violent extremism in the Middle East. If America is successful in destroying the group, another will likely sprout up in its place. So when does it all end?