My refrain, whenever I hear about the "deficits", is very simple: we have plenty of money. We are the richest nation in human history. The problem is our priorities. And this week it boils down to this: do we want war or do we want teachers who will make our kids ready for the future?
Yesterday, I wrote about a new coalition that I joined: the Coalition Against War Spending. Since yesterday, the number of Coalition members has grown to 52 Congressional candidates.
When I speak to the voters of the 15th Congressional District, they often ask roughly the same question, "what are you going to do to make this street or neighborhood better?" And I believe that my opposition to spending a single dime on more war in Afghanistan answers, partly, that question.
Because every dollar we are throwing away on the war means one less dollar to hire teachers for the schools that are straining to stay open or just have enough supplies for kids.
According to the National Priorities Project, the cost of the Afghanistan war since 2001 would have been enough to hire more than 15,000 teachers for one year--just in the 15th Congressional District in NY: More than 6,500 Elementary School Teachers and more than 8,600 Music and Arts Teachers.
Here is a more complete tally of what we could have done just in the 15th Congressional District for the wasted money on war:
105,025 People with Health Care for One Year OR
10,992 Public Safety Officers for One year OR
8,673 Music and Arts Teachers for One Year OR
94,807 Scholarships for University Students for One Year OR
102,614 Students receiving Pell Grants of $5550 OR
3,237 Affordable Housing Units OR
199,012 Children with Health Care for One Year OR
64,886 Head Start Places for Children for One Year OR
6,596 Elementary School Teachers for One Year OR
1,066,235 Homes with Renewable Electricity for One Year
You can make your own calculation here. I find this a very useful exercise because, as we talk to our friends and neighbors, making the cost as concrete as possible can move a lot of people to stand up and say: enough.
So, I hope you will join our Coalition, and other efforts, to oppose any further funding of the Afghanistan war except for immediate, rapid, safe withdrawal of our troops and money for reconstruction and diplomacy.