On April 1, 2020

F-35s over ventilators

Dear Editor,

While Vermont communities were watching for signs the federal government would help them weather the current public health issues, 130 federal legislators had their sights set on something else. These members of Congress had the audacity to jointly petition the House Armed Services Committee, just four days after the White House declared a state of emergency, asking to once again use taxpayer dollars to purchase 98 more F-35 nuclear bomber military jets, which will cost a minimum of $78 million up to possibly $100 million each.

In the 21st Century the federal government has chosen to invest massive amounts of money into preparing for and waging endless phoney wars for endless military/industrial corporation profits while neglecting public health, education, and other domestic priorities.

In the regular budget cycle for fiscal year 2020 the Pentagon got an insane $738 billion for their budget. Compare that to Health And Human Services department which got $94 billion, while the Center For Disease Control and Prevention received $8 billion in program funding. These misguided budget priorities come at a huge cost and we are now seeing the effects firsthand when government misallocates money into war.

It is criminal that so many of our elected officials would continue to aggressively support the corrupt military/industrial machine especially when larger investment in the healthcare sector would create twice the number of jobs as the same amount of investment in the defense industry.

Climate change, inadequate infrastructure and education, environmental pollution, lack of universal healthcare; these are the real threats to global well-being and peace.

Ralph Corbo,
Wallingford

Do you want to submit feedback to the editor?

Send Us An Email!

Related Posts

No on proposed cell tower

February 12, 2025
Dear Editor, We are writing in stark dissent of the proposed cell tower in Hartland Four Corners. Our dissension is based on several critical factors: IllegalityAccording to local ordinances, no construction shall surpass tree height, yet the proposed tower of 170+ feet far exceeds the height of any local flora. Health risksAccording to the American…

Trust in government officials through ethics standards – Vermont Act 171

February 12, 2025
Dear Editor, Act 171 has opened a door for Killington to strengthen trust between town officials and the community they serve. For seven years I was a law enforcement officer in the city of Alexandria, Virginia, a stone’s throw south of Washington, D.C. The profession comes with a heightened level of community trust, and to…

Why chaos and scapegoating work for Trump

February 12, 2025
By Angelo Lynn Editor’s note: Angelo Lynn is the publisher of the Addison Independent, a sister paper of the Mountain Times. As the nation’s increasingly discredited president continues to sow chaos at every level — domestic and international — it helps to understand what we can of his tactics. A recent piece by Jess Bidgood,…

Medical debt relief is a direct investment in Vermonters

February 5, 2025
By Vermont Treasurer Mike Pieciak As Vermont’s Treasurer, I am committed to making investments that lower costs, strengthen our economy, and support healthier communities. I believe every Vermonter deserves a fair shot at success, regardless of the situation they are born into. Yet, for too many Vermonters, the cost of health care stands in the…