E-News: A "New Deal" for Military Contractors?

Posted on 01/10/2012 @ 05:22 PM

January 10, 2012

A "New Deal" for Military Contractors?
This Thursday, Talk Budget with Legislative Director Ruth Flower
39% of Your Tax Dollars Go to War
Iran: Time for Diplomacy
Grassroots Tip: Lobbying Close to Home this Winter
Become an FCNL Intern!
War is Not the Answer Photo of the Week: Mt. Rainier, MD

A "New Deal" for Military Contractors?

Beginning next year, the military budget will start to see reductions in proposed spending that will total nearly $1 trillion over the next decade. The media and lobbying campaigns to keep that from happening are in full motion. Military contractors are pushing Congress for a new deal that would undo the planned cuts in Pentagon spending. Read Ruth Flower's analysis of what is happening and why it's so important to work to keep these cuts in place.

This Thursday, Talk Budget with Legislative Director Ruth Flower

Want to know more about what you can do to help cut the Pentagon budget and promote investments  in other priorities? Join FCNL's Legislative Director Ruth Flower for a telephone briefing on January 12, 2012  at 8:00 pm EST.  The call will last about an hour, and you'll have the opportunity to ask questions after Ruth briefs everyone. On January 12, 866-802-4328 to join the call - there's no need to RSVP. Find out more.

39% of Your Tax Dollars Go to War

39 cents of every dollar you paid in 2011 taxes went to Pentagon spending for current and past wars. Meanwhile only 2 cents on the dollar went to diplomacy, development, and international cooperation. Find out more with this flyer.

Iran: Time for Diplomacy

If you read the newspaper or watch the presidential debates, you might think that Iran has developed nuclear weapons and is preparing to launch them. In an interview on Face the Nation this week, however, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta was clear that Iran is not currently trying to develop a nuclear weapon and that negotiations remain an important way of defusing tensions.  Find out how you can help encourage Congress to support diplomacy, not war, with Iran.

Grassroots Tip: Lobbying Close to Home this Winter

When FCNL's Field Committee Clerk Tom Ewell wanted to let his members of Congress know what he thinks, he didn't start by looking up plane fares to Washington, DC.  Instead, he made a phone call to his representative's local office and set up a meeting. Your members of Congress will be home during the Presidents' Day recess, February 20-24. Start planning now for how you can use this opportunity to affect what's going in Washington.  Find out more about the importance of lobbying when members of Congress are home and how to have a good visit with your local office.

Become an FCNL Intern!

We are now accepting applications for our intern class of 2012-2013. Interns, or program assistants, work full-time for 11 months in the FCNL office, starting in late August each year, and are an integral part of FCNL's work to change policy. They receive, health benefits, vacation,  sick leave and subsistence-level salary. Find out more about these positions and the work this year's program assistants are doing. Applications are due March 12.

War is Not the Answer Photo of the Week: Mt. Rainier, MD

The Glut organic local food coop in Mt. Rainier, MD was founded in 1969 by conscientious objectors, and it stays true to its pacifist roots with the War Is Not the Answer sign in its front window.

Order your own War Is Not the Answer sign and see where this movement is showing up across the country. Find out how to submit your photo.