Congress Sells-out Poor Children For Bombs

The same Congress that is using welfare mothers and poor children as scapegoats for governmental overspending is now trying to pass a $245 billion defense bill (FY97), which includes an add-on of more than $10 billion at the Clinton administration's request.According to the Women's Action For New Direction (WAND), health and social services continue to erode, while the military budget has remained at near cold war levels and is projected to increase over the next seven years. WAND claims that the $10 billion add-on by the Clinton administration has little to do with national security and everything to do with political pork. The group also points out that the U.S. faces no military threats justifying the FY97 budget -- it's simply indicitive of the failure of military planners to adapt to changing times.Although agreement exists with both the government and the public that the federal government must be downsized to secure the U.S.'s future, there seems to be an absence -- by both the Republicans and Democrats -- of a serious discussion of cutting the military budget. Both Dole and Clinton will be sure to avoid discussing military spending at the upcoming debates, although several studies show that it is of public concern.In fact, a July 1996 poll commissioned by National Security News Service revealed that 57 percent of the public opposed Congress' attempt to increase the military budget, while only 34 percent supported it. Additionally, the University of Maryland's Center for International and Security Studies conducted a nationwide poll and budget exercise in June provided strong evidence that as Americans get more information about the actual level of military spending there is a strong public consensus -- over 80 percent -- in cutting the military budget.Even the Pentagon is not requesting funds matching the administration's budget. According to the Washington, DC- based Campaign for New Priorities (CNP), the Pentagon noted that the proposed military budget "complicates efforts to balance the budget and reduce the deficit, and in the end means even less money for necessary domestic programs." The group also said that the "pure pork" figure of $4.6 billion is roughly the same amount of money that is to be cut from food stamps and child nutrition programs. Military spending also eats up almost half of the U.S. budget's discretionary funds.WAND, CNP and 120 other organizations have drafted a letter to President Clinton, calling upon him to veto FY97. For a copy of the letter or more information call Susan Shaer, Women's Action For New Directions - MA: 617-643-6740; Deborah Walden, Women's Action For New Directions - D.C.: 202-543-8505 or the National Priorities Project: 413-584-9556.