LIHU‘E — Citizens who want furlough Fridays ended and public services restored and who believe reduction of excessive military spending is a means to that end can express their beliefs at a moving demonstration on Saturday, according to a press
LIHU‘E — Citizens who want furlough Fridays ended and public services restored and who believe reduction of excessive military spending is a means to that end can express their beliefs at a moving demonstration on Saturday, according to a press release from the Kaua‘i Alliance for Peace and Social Justice.
Hawai‘i’s projected 2010 mid-year budget gap is $533 million. This is the money Hawai‘i needs to send children back to school, rehire state workers, restore services and improve the economy, the release states.
Back in Washington, every year since 2006 Defense Secretary Gates has said the military doesn’t need any more of the C-17, heavy-lift cargo planes. But every year Congress authorizes funds for more. In October 2009, the Senate approved $2.5 billion for 10 more C-17s, bringing the total to 215, the release states.
For purposes of comparison, if two less C-17s were built, the savings could pretty much solve Hawai‘i’s 2010 financial crisis, the release states.
This is only a small example of the enormous and ongoing waste of money on military hardware and adventures by the Pentagon approved by Congress. It consumes about one half the federal budget, while less than 2 percent will be spent on education in 2010, the release states.
In the case of the C-17, the Boeing Corporation purposely spread manufacturing across 43 states, thereby politically engineering the system to make it difficult to kill in Congress, the release states.
Organizers of the rallies urge others in communities to support education and jobs, not bombs, the release states. Stand with like-minded neighbors at the demonstrations Saturday, and bring family and friends. Bring a sign or wave one provided by KAPSJ, the release states.
Roving rally locations
• Waimea: 9 a.m. at the Captain Cook statue
• ‘Ele‘ele: 9 a.m. at the Port Allen intersection
• Puhi: 10:30 a.m. Kaua‘i Community College intersection
• Kapa‘a: 1 p.m. at the Safeway intersection
• Anahola: 2:30 p.m. at Hokualele intersection
• Kilauea: 3:30 p.m. at main intersection
