Issue Position: Peace - Why is This Desirable and How is It Achievable?

Issue Position

The US needs to stop spending so much money overseas. According to the GAO, the federal Government Accounting Office, the amount of money the federal government spends overseas just to maintain its empire is over $1 Trillion per year. This is an amount necessary to keep 150,000 men and women in uniform at over 800 bases in 135 countries, defending our relatively rich allies, policing the world, and supporting military interventions in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, and Pakistan. Beyond this profligate spending, the wars we are fighting cost us several hundred Billion Dollars more per year. If you add this all up, the total military cost around the world is north of $1.5 Trillion per year. This is out of an annual federal budget of $3.5 Trillion. That's 42% of the federal budget!

Not only is it draining our treasury, this country is technically bankrupt largely because of our historically generous foreign military expenditures.

Maine needs to assert its right to control the Maine National Guard and bring it home, where it is needed to protect us against natural and man made disasters, maintain critical infrastructure like highways, bridges, waterways and seaport installations, and ensure our safety.

Maine needs to support US legislation which forces Congress to stop allowing military adventurism around the world on the whim of executive orders and UN mandates, which has been the US mode of operation since WWII. Instead, we need Congress to strictly adhere to the US Constitution, and raise the bar by exclusive vote of a declaration of war before committing troops overseas.

Peace is the only sane way for Maine to stay healthy, wealthy and secure!

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