A Quaker Lobby in the Public Interest
Grassroots Lobbying on Pentagon Cuts
This is our opportunity to refocus government priorities--to make sure we're not sacrificing programs our communities depend to keep fighting new wars. At a time when budgets for everything from education to public transportation is being cut, Congress needs to bring the Pentagon’s ballooning budget under control.
Learn to Lobby
Studies show that lobby visits from constituents are the most likely to influence members of Congress -- more so than any other communication. If you schedule a meeting, you'll be able to speak with staff in the office. Building a relationship with the office and bringing a delegation from your community makes you more likely to meet with your member of Congress in person.
Congratulations! Now that you have a visit to your member of Congress’ local office scheduled, get the resources you need for a successful visit. Remember, you don’t have to be an expert. The visit should be mostly about you - involvement in the community and why you care personally. Asking questions and listening respectfully is more important than having all the facts.
Strengthen FCNL's work in your state by telling us how your lobby visit went. This form asks who you met with, what you discussed and any outcomes from your meeting. It amplifies your impact when our lobbyists can talk about your visit in their meetings with the office.
Take Action
Members of Congress aren’t just reading Politico, the New York Times, or the Washington Post. Congressional staff tell us they read local papers in their districts more closely -- particularly the opinion pieces and letters to the editor. So the letters to the editor you are publishing in the Ames Tribune, the Seattle Times, and the Richmond Times-Dispatch are making a difference.
Flyers, Fact Sheets and More
While peaceful prevention of deadly conflict, science, education and other departments get two or three cents of every federal income tax dollar, military and related spending dwarfs the rest of the budget. Use this chart to talk about your budget priorities.
Use these fact sheets from our friends at the Coalition on Human Needs for detailed information on the effects of sequestration on your state. They also include how sequestration will impact the programs that people rely on.
Share your budget priorities. This sign reads: "I am a _______. We're spending too much on the Pentagon and not enough on _______. Let's cut the Pentagon by at least $1 trillion and reinvest in our communities."
Use our template to slice a pie based on the federal budget. Take pieces based on your priorities, or hand them out at random. But be warned: the Pentagon slice is almost always too big for one person to finish alone.
This report, developed by experts from across the political spectrum, outlines a bipartisan plan for safe, responsible cuts to the Pentagon budget. The Task Force report does not include any
recommendations related to the cost of the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan. It looks only at the Pentagon’s
annual “base” budget.
These fact sheets from our budget team get into the nitty-gritty of Pentagon cuts. They're a valuable resource for work on the Hill, but remember: you don't need to be an expert to lobby your member of Congress.
