Cut the Pentagon: What Will You Write to Your Senator?

What do you do in your community? Are you a librarian, a teacher, a small business owners, a parent, a retired person, a faith leader, or unemployed? Could you organize a letter that is signed by five librarians, or five teachers, or five Quakers? To help you in this process we've written a sample letter below that you can adapt to your local

Dear Senator,

I'm writing to you because I'm frustrated with Washington, and I think you could make a difference that will cut the deficit and make our community and our country stronger. I'm particularly concerned that [concern]

I am or [we are] [a nurse, a teacher, a small business owner, a retired person, a pastor, a social worker, a parent, a city council member, unemployed] in [insert city and state]. In my [community, city, school, hospital] I see [increasing numbers of families without jobs, more hungry children, fewer staff to meet more needs, essential city services that have to be put aside]. I know that the federal budget relates to our state's budget, and how the state budget relates to our local problems. Your leadership for our community is so important right now because of the decisions Congress will make about the deficit.

• Find savings in the Pentagon budget. The amount of waste in the Pentagon budget and the expansive role our military has taken just isn't sustainable in today's fiscal and political world. We don’t need additional expensive nuclear weapons that were invented for the Cold War or contracts with private companies that cost more than their agreed price or heavily staffed European bases left over from World War II, We can support our troops and our veterans if we focus our military budget on what the nation really needs.
• Invest in the people of our state. Help us rebuild our local economy by creating jobs and by making sure that the services that protect people who are vulnerable like the elderly, children and people with disabilities won't be cut or even disappear. More of us than ever are relying on unemployment insurance, Medicare and Medicaid, and food assistance.
• Raise revenue through increased taxes on those who haven't paid their fair share. Our tax rates may be high, compared to other countries, but the loopholes that wealthy corporations and individuals use to pay disproportionately less than the rest of us are unfair and hurt our country. Our nation has real needs that require revenue; I think that revenue needs to come from those who have the means.

We need your leadership to act boldly for what we need now and in the future–to recover our economy and to take care of local communities and to reduce waste and misguided Pentagon spending.

Please use your position in Congress to support these changes that will reduce our federal deficit without hurting the people of [state].

Sincerely

Name, address, telephone and email