Jobs With Peace Campaign



Jobs With Peace Campaign

This essay, The Military Tax Burden, was prepared by the Jobs With Peace Campaign in Boston in 1989.

It’s April 15. Do you know where you tax dollar is?

The federal government is trying to hid it from you: They’ll tell you that 27% goes to the military. A large amount, but only half the true story.

The government, in calculating that figure, leaves out the cost of past wars, including veteran’s benefits and the military share of the interest on our national debt. They also omit foreign military aid, the defense-related spending of NASA, and the Department of Energy funds that go to develop nuclear weapons. Furthermore, since the Vietnam War, Social Security has been included in the calculation to enlarge the Federal Budget and make the military share seem smaller than it actually is.

Over half the money you pay goes straight to the Pentagon. If your federal taxes came to $4,000 this year, you earned $2,100 for the Pentagon.

Now look at the schools in your neighborhood. Look at the fire department. Look at the roads, the water system, your garbage collection. Do you know anyone hoping to go to college? Do you know a young family trying to buy a house? Do you know anyone looking for a good job? Are you concerned about the quality of the air and the water? Do you think a little more of your $4,000 could go to deal with some of these problems?

Federal spending for domestic needs—including education, health, housing, roads, job training, and money for your city or town—have all dropped drastically over the past seven years.

Instead of paying for the things you really need, this money has gone to the military, for the largest peace-time military build-up in our nation’s history, bigger than the military spending increases for Vietnam War …

The National Jobs With Peace Campaign is dedicated to turning this situation around. We think there is far too much waste in the military. We also think we do not need Star Wars, more nuclear weapons and thousands of U.S. troops in nations all over the globe. We think we can better defend our country by boosting the standard of living here, by rebuilding our towns and cities, by cleaning our air and rivers, by providing education for tomorrow’s jobs, and homes for today’s families.

When you spread the word about military taxation, it helps to know just what you are buying—and not buying.

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