More money for people, less for Cold War weapons systems
Target:
Congress
Sponsored by:
Invest federal budget dollars in our country, not in outmoded weapons systems
New federal military budget weighs in at $560 billion. We can trim it and still be safe; and send that money to real human needs. President Obama released his proposed federal budget on February 26, 2009. It showed many signs of promise; but we urge him and Congress to take a hard look at the military budget, and cut out wasteful outmoded Cold War weapons, as he promised in his "State of the Union" address on 2/24/09.While it's not a complete budget, we have learned this:
New federal military budget weighs in at $560 billion. We can trim it and still be safe; and send that money to real human needs. President Obama released his proposed federal budget on February 26, 2009. It showed many signs of promise; but we urge him and Congress to take a hard look at the military budget, and cut out wasteful outmoded Cold War weapons, as he promised in his "State of the Union" address on 2/24/09.While it's not a complete budget, we have learned this:
- The military budget weighs in at about $557 billion (that's Department of Defense plus nuclear weapons and some other military things). HALF the discretionary budget. And no matter how you slice it, a whole lotta money. (And, don't forget, this does NOT pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; that comes from supplemental appropriations, which clock in at $130 billion in FY10.)
- Yes, it's an increase over last year's amount. The previous military budget was $541 billion. If you break it down, you have an inflationary increase, plus an extra $9 billion. (The good news is that the Bush proposed budget would have been over $600 billion.)
- HOWEVER... it IS a smaller than average increase than we had over the past eight years. So it's not a decrease -- but it does start a trend toward slowing the growth, and hopefully one day actually trimming the size of the military slice.
Invest federal budget dollars in our country, not in outmoded weapons systems
New federal military budget weighs in at $560 billion. We can trim it and still be safe; and send that money to real human needs. President Obama released his proposed federal budget on February 26, 2009. It showed many signs of promise; but we urge him and Congress to take a hard look at the military budget, and cut out wasteful outmoded Cold War weapons, as he promised in his "State of the Union" address on 2/24/09.While it's not a complete budget, we have learned this:
New federal military budget weighs in at $560 billion. We can trim it and still be safe; and send that money to real human needs. President Obama released his proposed federal budget on February 26, 2009. It showed many signs of promise; but we urge him and Congress to take a hard look at the military budget, and cut out wasteful outmoded Cold War weapons, as he promised in his "State of the Union" address on 2/24/09.While it's not a complete budget, we have learned this:
- The military budget weighs in at about $557 billion (that's Department of Defense plus nuclear weapons and some other military things). HALF the discretionary budget. And no matter how you slice it, a whole lotta money. (And, don't forget, this does NOT pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; that comes from supplemental appropriations, which clock in at $130 billion in FY10.)
- Yes, it's an increase over last year's amount. The previous military budget was $541 billion. If you break it down, you have an inflationary increase, plus an extra $9 billion. (The good news is that the Bush proposed budget would have been over $600 billion.)
- HOWEVER... it IS a smaller than average increase than we had over the past eight years. So it's not a decrease -- but it does start a trend toward slowing the growth, and hopefully one day actually trimming the size of the military slice.
We signed the "More money for people, less for Cold War weapons systems" petition!
# 219:
5:06 pm PDT, Jul 27,
JOAN DAVIS, Florida
yes, i am all for reducing weapons. can you fathom how many people in the world that could be helped with the monies we spent on weapons, all kinds. oh, yes some will say we need to protect ourselves, okay how about a little one on one debates.not agressive enough, well someone will figure it out, we have a lot of smart people who can.
yes, i am all for reducing weapons. can you fathom how many people in the world that could be helped with the monies we spent on weapons, all kinds. oh, yes some will say we need to protect ourselves, okay how about a little one on one debates.not agressive enough, well someone will figure it out, we have a lot of smart people who can.
# 218:
11:27 am PDT, Jun 23,
Christopher Nye, Massachusetts
Let's do more to have true educational reform, not more tests and standardization. The next generation needs to be prepared to think clearly and independently about national priorities.
Let's do more to have true educational reform, not more tests and standardization. The next generation needs to be prepared to think clearly and independently about national priorities.
# 217:
5:21 pm PDT, Jun 6,
Nancy Donaven, California
We have too many important domestic problems to solve with the money we are spending on excess defense. Schools, health care, jobs and so on.
We have too many important domestic problems to solve with the money we are spending on excess defense. Schools, health care, jobs and so on.
# 216:
5:28 am PDT, May 27,
Jody Gibson, Iowa
# 215:
6:15 pm PDT, May 26,
William C. Briggs, Jr., California
# 214:
3:33 pm PDT, May 26,
Mary Langley, California
# 213:
2:20 pm PDT, May 26,
Name not displayed, Iowa
# 212:
2:14 pm PDT, May 26,
Alan Stout, Illinois
# 211:
9:46 am PDT, May 24,
Michael W Evans, California
# 210:
9:03 am PDT, May 15,
Cathy Schwinden, North Dakota
# 209:
6:07 am PDT, May 15,
Deborah Garretson, Indiana
Please do not fund further war. Spend money for peace.
Please do not fund further war. Spend money for peace.
# 208:
3:08 am PDT, Apr 24,
J. Tripp, Florida
Hard to believe this is still an issue. Haven't we evolved beyond the need to threaten other countries with total anihilation in order to keep world peace?
Hard to believe this is still an issue. Haven't we evolved beyond the need to threaten other countries with total anihilation in order to keep world peace?
# 207:
5:27 pm PDT, Apr 19,
MaryAnna Foskett, Massachusetts
# 206:
3:24 pm PDT, Apr 17,
Berta Gardner, Alaska
# 205:
3:31 pm PDT, Apr 16,
Sarah Langford, North Carolina
# 204:
1:51 pm PDT, Apr 16,
Laura Peck, California
Isn't there some way we can stop all this killing, weapons of war, etc. It is beyond me how decision makers can be so callous. I guess its because I have been in the position of caring for damaged, wounded, or hungry people - have wrapped up dead babies, and I just don't understand how good upstanding people can keep on funding terrible weapons whose only purpose is to kill, maim, or otherwise bring terror to other human beings. Something is wrong with this species. To deny needed assistance in order to create more damage or make pots of money is just a horror.
Isn't there some way we can stop all this killing, weapons of war, etc. It is beyond me how decision makers can be so callous. I guess its because I have been in the position of caring for damaged, wounded, or hungry people - have wrapped up dead babies, and I just don't understand how good upstanding people can keep on funding terrible weapons whose only purpose is to kill, maim, or otherwise bring terror to other human beings. Something is wrong with this species. To deny needed assistance in order to create more damage or make pots of money is just a horror.
# 203:
10:33 am PDT, Apr 16,
Name not displayed, Virginia
PLEASE use what funds we have,to fund AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE not for COLD WAR WEAPON SYSTEMS!!!!
PLEASE use what funds we have,to fund AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE not for COLD WAR WEAPON SYSTEMS!!!!
# 202:
12:07 am PDT, Apr 16,
Erin Zolotukhin-Ridgway, Minnesota
My family and I ask that less be spent on warfare so that more may be spent on other investments in community life. We are especially interested in investments that support human development like education, the inclusion of those who are differently abled, health care, transportation, the arts, and housing.
My family and I ask that less be spent on warfare so that more may be spent on other investments in community life. We are especially interested in investments that support human development like education, the inclusion of those who are differently abled, health care, transportation, the arts, and housing.
# 201:
11:30 pm PDT, Apr 15,
Tom McMurray, Colorado
Books instead of bombs and bread instead of bullets will bring about security and peace.
Books instead of bombs and bread instead of bullets will bring about security and peace.
# 200:
8:23 pm PDT, Apr 15,
Elaine Booth, California
We can better create a secure world by allocating more resources to meet human and environmental needs. Stop feeding an already bloated war machine. It makes us less safe. It's immoral and a terrible waste.
We can better create a secure world by allocating more resources to meet human and environmental needs. Stop feeding an already bloated war machine. It makes us less safe. It's immoral and a terrible waste.
# 199:
8:05 pm PDT, Apr 15,
Dean Mindock, Illinois
Really, I am sick & tired of my taxes being used to fund an monstrously sized military and those unending wars. This country, our government, has lost its direction and is fighting illegal wars, killing millions of innocent people, disrupting lives, and creating vast wastelands because of its use of depleted uranium. How about using those wasted trillions for improving lives, not wasting lives.
Really, I am sick & tired of my taxes being used to fund an monstrously sized military and those unending wars. This country, our government, has lost its direction and is fighting illegal wars, killing millions of innocent people, disrupting lives, and creating vast wastelands because of its use of depleted uranium. How about using those wasted trillions for improving lives, not wasting lives.
# 198:
6:18 pm PDT, Apr 15,
Nancy Mills, Georgia
# 197:
4:42 pm PDT, Apr 15,
Mary Dean, Illinois
# 196:
3:43 pm PDT, Apr 15,
Name not displayed, New York
# 195:
3:28 pm PDT, Apr 15,
Amy Johnson, Oregon
It is past time to update what we spend our monies on. Please make it real and cut outdated weapon systems.
It is past time to update what we spend our monies on. Please make it real and cut outdated weapon systems.
# 194:
2:57 pm PDT, Apr 15,
Peggy Donovan, Pennsylvania
WAR IS NOT THE ANSWER. SO MUCH MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT ON DESTRUCTION. WAR HAS ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING. MORE MONEY IS USED TO BUILD BACK UP THE COUNTRY THE ONLY ONES WHO BENFIT FROM WARS ARE THE ELITE AND THE RICH.
WAR IS NOT THE ANSWER. SO MUCH MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT ON DESTRUCTION. WAR HAS ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING. MORE MONEY IS USED TO BUILD BACK UP THE COUNTRY THE ONLY ONES WHO BENFIT FROM WARS ARE THE ELITE AND THE RICH.
# 193:
2:53 pm PDT, Apr 15,
Robert Orlando, New York
# 192:
1:48 pm PDT, Apr 15,
Roland Hogg, Illinois
# 191:
1:34 pm PDT, Apr 15,
Karen Mosser, California
# 190:
12:48 pm PDT, Apr 15,
Margaret Rosenthal, Idaho
We need health care for all and green energy ...... not more money for weapons!
We need health care for all and green energy ...... not more money for weapons!
# 188:
4:43 pm PDT, Apr 13,
William White, Florida
The power of the cosmos at our fingertips - harnessed to a bow and arrow mentality. A crazy AND costly scenario, no?
The power of the cosmos at our fingertips - harnessed to a bow and arrow mentality. A crazy AND costly scenario, no?
# 187:
2:05 pm PDT, Apr 13,
Amanda Formica, Massachusetts
Cold war weapons were created to fit the war of the day, and even then they were unnecessary and much too costly. These types of weapons fit even less into the security issues we face today as a nation and as a globe. In fact, the biggest threat to security today is global warming, so lets arm ourselves with adaptation funds, solar panels, wind turbines, tax credits, and other tools that will tax our creativity much more productively than the weapons of yesterday. Cut the fat and the pork. America needs a meat free diet for the sake of its own health, so to speak!
Cold war weapons were created to fit the war of the day, and even then they were unnecessary and much too costly. These types of weapons fit even less into the security issues we face today as a nation and as a globe. In fact, the biggest threat to security today is global warming, so lets arm ourselves with adaptation funds, solar panels, wind turbines, tax credits, and other tools that will tax our creativity much more productively than the weapons of yesterday. Cut the fat and the pork. America needs a meat free diet for the sake of its own health, so to speak!
# 186:
8:46 pm PDT, Apr 11,
Ari R. Kolman, Canada
We Need Solar Powered Everything, if they’re not powered by Windmills.. Solar and Windmills and Non-Gasoline Cars.. No Nuclear! NO MORE NUCLEAR PLEASE. NO MORE Coal-Fired Power Plants. No More Stockpiles of Nuclear Weapons. No More increasing the number of U.S. nuclear reactors! No More Uranium, NO MORE OIL DEPENDENCIES/ADDICTIONS SO NO MORE DRILLING or MINING & No More Developments…. No more Plastic Bags or Styrofoam products shipped all over the world… No More BLOODY SLAUGHTER of Precious Animals, No More Animal Clothing & Leather Shoes & Accessories, No more Palm oil products of deforestation Plant and Animal Murder.. No more animal tested surgical procedures and products for humans.. No more raising animals for food, NO MORE PESTISCIDES, NO MORE FERTALIZERS, No more War on Marijuana, or War Period.. No More Gluttonous Consumerism, NO MORE Asia, JAPAN, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Afghanistan, Armenia, Nigeria, Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Spain, Costa Rica, Korea & CHINA Trading because of the terrible things they do to the people, environment and animals and No More Cutting Down Our Valuable Precious Trees, No More genocide, ethnocide and false imprisonment, No more ripping families apart, AND NO More Babies to give birth to..
We Need Solar Powered Everything, if they’re not powered by Windmills.. Solar and Windmills and Non-Gasoline Cars.. No Nuclear! NO MORE NUCLEAR PLEASE. NO MORE Coal-Fired Power Plants. No More Stockpiles of Nuclear Weapons. No More increasing the number of U.S. nuclear reactors! No More Uranium, NO MORE OIL DEPENDENCIES/ADDICTIONS SO NO MORE DRILLING or MINING & No More Developments…. No more Plastic Bags or Styrofoam products shipped all over the world… No More BLOODY SLAUGHTER of Precious Animals, No More Animal Clothing & Leather Shoes & Accessories, No more Palm oil products of deforestation Plant and Animal Murder.. No more animal tested surgical procedures and products for humans.. No more raising animals for food, NO MORE PESTISCIDES, NO MORE FERTALIZERS, No more War on Marijuana, or War Period.. No More Gluttonous Consumerism, NO MORE Asia, JAPAN, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Afghanistan, Armenia, Nigeria, Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Spain, Costa Rica, Korea & CHINA Trading because of the terrible things they do to the people, environment and animals and No More Cutting Down Our Valuable Precious Trees, No More genocide, ethnocide and false imprisonment, No more ripping families apart, AND NO More Babies to give birth to..
# 185:
4:01 pm PDT, Apr 11,
Alissa Stoehr, Iowa
# 184:
8:47 pm PDT, Apr 10,
Jim Rauner, Michigan
# 183:
5:29 pm PDT, Apr 10,
Arlett Garza, Florida
# 182:
1:18 pm PDT, Apr 10,
Roberto Moraes, Georgia
# 181:
6:48 am PDT, Apr 10,
Mary Rossborough, Massachusetts
# 180:
2:21 am PDT, Apr 10,
Joanne D. Ferguson, Ohio
# 179:
7:41 pm PDT, Apr 9,
Gary Lampman, Tennessee
# 178:
7:04 pm PDT, Apr 9,
Name not displayed, Minnesota
Feed the people. End poverty.
Feed the people. End poverty.
# 177:
6:32 pm PDT, Apr 9,
Daniel French, Florida
# 176:
5:34 pm PDT, Apr 9,
Bernice Hall, Arizona
# 175:
2:16 pm PDT, Apr 9,
Adriana Faria, Washington
# 174:
1:44 pm PDT, Apr 9,
Mary Siberz, Wisconsin
# 173:
1:24 pm PDT, Apr 9,
Name not displayed, Georgia
# 172:
12:22 pm PDT, Apr 9,
David Ehrensperger, Pennsylvania
# 171:
11:58 am PDT, Apr 9,
Diane Goss, Massachusetts
Please promote peace through peaceful means.
Please promote peace through peaceful means.
# 170:
11:52 am PDT, Apr 9,
Nancy Day, North Carolina
As I look at the chunk of money that is used by the Pentagon for carrying out irrelevant re-spending, it is almost as bad as economic greed and hedge fund antics. It is time to say NO to any spending that does not lead in some way to peace on earth and good will to all everywhere.
As I look at the chunk of money that is used by the Pentagon for carrying out irrelevant re-spending, it is almost as bad as economic greed and hedge fund antics. It is time to say NO to any spending that does not lead in some way to peace on earth and good will to all everywhere.
# 169:
11:39 am PDT, Apr 9,
Peter Everts, Michigan
Reagan/Clinton/Bushes have trounced the "commons" and the Constitution. It is time for government to serve the people, not business, corporations, banks, the Fed and cronies. We don't need another violent revolution, but that is the only option for people who have no political power. A Pentagon budget that exceeds the total of the rest of the world is patently insane.
Reagan/Clinton/Bushes have trounced the "commons" and the Constitution. It is time for government to serve the people, not business, corporations, banks, the Fed and cronies. We don't need another violent revolution, but that is the only option for people who have no political power. A Pentagon budget that exceeds the total of the rest of the world is patently insane.
# 168:
11:33 am PDT, Apr 9,
Raymond Keeling, Michigan
Assure the workers that would lost jobs that their current jobs will be replaced with "green energy" jobs such as building wind generators.
Assure the workers that would lost jobs that their current jobs will be replaced with "green energy" jobs such as building wind generators.
# 167:
11:22 am PDT, Apr 9,
James Woodlalnd, Louisiana
# 166:
10:55 am PDT, Apr 9,
Name not displayed, Kentucky
# 165:
10:43 am PDT, Apr 9,
Therese Ballet Lynn, California
Health, education, food. that's what we need>
Health, education, food. that's what we need>
# 164:
10:19 am PDT, Apr 9,
Tracy Woods, Arizona
# 163:
9:38 am PDT, Apr 9,
Keif Schleifer, Georgia
# 162:
9:25 am PDT, Apr 9,
Tia Triplett, California
# 161:
2:21 am PDT, Apr 9,
Jo Laz, Illinois
# 160:
11:29 pm PDT, Apr 8,
E. Maxwell, California
Ask the military and the defense contractors to make proposals for jobs we REALLY need. Maybe they can help redesign and build mass transit, infrastructure, wind turbines, green projects, etc. If they can't, then we need to redirect the money to our REAL needs.
Ask the military and the defense contractors to make proposals for jobs we REALLY need. Maybe they can help redesign and build mass transit, infrastructure, wind turbines, green projects, etc. If they can't, then we need to redirect the money to our REAL needs.
# 159:
3:28 pm PDT, Apr 8,
Christine Paige, Oregon
# 158:
1:55 pm PDT, Apr 8,
L Gols, Massachusetts
# 157:
11:14 am PDT, Apr 8,
Megan Crotty, North Carolina
# 156:
9:38 am PDT, Apr 8,
Lenora Hirschler, Indiana
# 155:
7:32 am PDT, Apr 8,
Judith M Metzger, New York
Definition of Cold war weapons include missile defense. (star wars)
Definition of Cold war weapons include missile defense. (star wars)
# 154:
7:22 am PDT, Apr 8,
Jean Hirschler, Indiana
Yes, we can change the way we fund and the priorities we choose in our military budget. I urge Congressional members to choose a budget that will serve the real needs of the military amid the present realities of our world--not past wars or future fantasy wars.
Yes, we can change the way we fund and the priorities we choose in our military budget. I urge Congressional members to choose a budget that will serve the real needs of the military amid the present realities of our world--not past wars or future fantasy wars.
# 153:
5:10 am PDT, Apr 8,
Name not displayed, Israel
# 152:
10:48 pm PDT, Apr 7,
Rolf Stuber, Switzerland
# 151:
10:01 pm PDT, Apr 7,
Kathy Burpee, New York
For more impact, add a personal comment here
For more impact, add a personal comment here
