Last Friday, February 21 Senate Republicans passed a $340 billion budget framework, allocating substantial funds to military spending and border security, despite unanimous Democratic opposition. This framework includes up to $150 billion for the Pentagon and $175 billion to fund President Trump’s agenda for mass immigration detention and deportation over four years.
This surge in Pentagon spending is poised to push the United States’ annual Pentagon budget beyond the $1 trillion mark. This is ridiculous given the Pentagon’s history of financial inefficiency, including seven consecutive failed audits. Such fiscal mismanagement raises serious concerns about the justification for funneling additional taxpayer dollars into an already bloated Pentagon budget.
Amidst this increased Pentagon spending, Congress is also proposing significant cuts to vital social programs, including education, health care, food assistance, and housing. This scenario underscores a prioritization of militarism over the well-being of citizens, effectively compromising the nation’s social safety net to benefit weapons contractors.
This scenario underscores a prioritization of militarism over the well-being of citizens, effectively compromising the nation’s social safety net to benefit weapons contractors.
The House, just this week, passed its own budget plan. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the current House plan “would be an extreme giveaway to the wealthy at the expense of families who already have a hard time affording food, health care, and education.”
Congress must reassess its budgetary priorities. Allocating excessive funds to the Pentagon at the expense of essential social services undermines the nation’s moral and ethical obligations to its citizens and the global community. Such cuts would be devastating for millions of Americans, and their global impact would harm U.S. national security.
By investing in education, healthcare, and sustainable development, the United States can embody a commitment to peace and justice.
By investing in education, healthcare, and sustainable development, the United States can embody a commitment to peace and justice. This reflects the core values espoused by the Quaker faith and many other faith traditions dedicated to the common good.
The path to genuine security and prosperity lies not in increasing reliance on militarism but in fostering a society grounded in compassion and peaceful coexistence. Our legislators should embrace this vision and enact policies that truly serve the interests of humanity and the planet.
