Re: “Delegation spurns Trump plan to divert $37 million in heating aid” (Feb. 28, Page A1):
President Trump’s plan to divert $37 million from heating aid to fight coronavirus is depressing. Both are needed. While lawmakers are arguing over two pressing needs – heating and disease prevention – the Defense Department’s budget is $693 billion this year. That’s $37 million every half hour.
The Defense Department has over 130 military bands and musical ensembles, for which it spends $437 million per year. That’s $37 million every month on music.
The question we should be asking is not whether heating is more important than disease prevention; it is: Is a month of military music more important than preventing coronavirus? What would you rather have: 120 military bands and coronavirus prevention or 130 military bands?
Until we stop treating military spending as untouchable, we will continue to have fights over whether we can afford to help the poor heat their homes in winter, whether we can afford to combat the spread of coronavirus while the Pentagon’s bands play on.
Sigrid Olson
Cape Elizabeth
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