To the editor:
It is way past time for Congress to cut U.S. spending on the military. In 2012, U.S. military spending was almost 60 percent of the U.S. discretionary budget. For the 2013 budget, unless Congress agrees on $1.3 trillion in new cuts over the next 10 years, the sequestration mandate automatically kicks in, cutting ALL discretionary spending - including Pentagon spending - by 10 percent. For 2013, President Obama's proposal is to cut military spending by just 0.7 percent, and Romney plans to increase Pentagon spending by 17 percent.
What do the American people want? A recent survey, "Consulting the American people on National Defense Spending," by the Program for Public Consultation, the Stimpson Center and the Center for Public Integrity, shows that ordinary Americans want to cut the nation's military budget by 18 percent. Voters in districts with the most military spending were "no less willing" to cut spending than those in low-military-spending districts.
The American people, including ourselves, strongly believe that the U.S. should not add to outdated, wasteful military programs driven by lobbyists and war contractors.
Very sincerely,
Patricia Willis
Thomas Willis
Rainbow Lake