Cut the Deficit--Cut Military Spending

Budgets are Moral Documents: No Cuts without the Pentagon Included

Sojourners believes that budgets are moral documents: How we spend our money shows what we value as a people. When the government has amassed a huge deficit, as is currently the case, then reducing that deficit becomes a moral imperative as well.

In his recent State of the Union speech and federal budget recommendations, President Obama announced the wrong decision about our federal budget, choosing to reduce the deficit by freezing funds overall for domestic programs while increasing military spending.

We believe that a more responsible plan to reduce the deficit must address out-of-control military spending.

How does the federal government spend its money? In round numbers, the military budget for next year includes an operating budget of $549 billion, plus funding for the two wars at $192 billion (including an already planned request for $33 billion this spring), for a total of $741 billion.

It’s time to stop subsidizing the shameful profits of the “military-industrial complex,” spend a bit more on the returning veterans who are too often abandoned when their service is over, and focus on fiscal responsibility as a nation.

We don’t need to spend this much money to keep our country safe. In fact, a huge share of this budget goes to funding outdated and unnecessary weapons systems. The United States spends more money on defense than the next largest 14 countries combined.

In the face of a painful recession and for the sake of future generations, reducing (and working to eliminate) our deficit is a worthy and necessary goal, and Christians should be in the middle of the debate to push hard for the right priorities. Let’s start by cutting military spending.

Tell President Obama: Budgets Are Moral Documents, Cut Our Military Spending

Subject:

Dear Mr. President,

(Edit Letter Below)

As a Christian, I believe that our federal budget is a moral document: How we spend our money shows what we value as a nation. In your State of the Union speech and federal budget recommendations, you said you would work to reduce the deficit by cutting spending on domestic priorities, but would not cut the military budget.

I strongly believe that this is the wrong decision and is out of line with the priorities of the American people. I urge you to include the defense budget in any deficit reduction measures. I do not believe that military spending should be deemed untouchable.

Our current deficit was fueled in part by rampant military spending over the past decade. Meanwhile our spending for the Department of Defense already commandeers the largest share of discretionary spending in the federal budget.

Our money could be spent in ways that recognize and seek the common good: creating jobs, investing in education and energy, helping struggling homeowners, and providing health coverage, to name but a few. Funding outdated weapons systems and pouring money into an already bloated military-industrial complex is an irresponsible use of taxpayer dollars.

In the face of a painful recession and for the sake of future generations, eliminating our deficit is a worthy and necessary goal. However, I believe that we should not be spending most of our money on the military, and that any deficit reduction measures should impact the defense budget as well.

Sincerely,

[Your name]
[Your address]

Take Action on this Issue

Send this message to:

President Barack Obama

Complete the following to send this message and sign-up to receive periodic updates. If you have participated before, just type in your email address then submit the form.

First Name:*

Last Name:*

Email:*

Address Line 1:*

Address Line 2:

City:*

State/ Province:

ZIP/Postal Code:*

Country:*

Yes, I would like to receive a copy of this letter

* Required Field

Thank you for joining this campaign. Sojourners will send you updates by e-mail, though you may remove yourself from our list at any time. Read our privacy statement.