Defense and Public Safety

“A nation that is secure within its borders, where all people are treated with dignity and respect, is a nation that is truly strong.”

– Franklin D. Roosevelt

The Problems:
  • Inflated Military Budget: Excessively high due to inflated costs from the military-industrial complex.
  • Misallocation of Military Funds: Insufficient focus on defending the homeland and allies.
  • Veteran Support: Veterans struggle to transition back to civilian life and lack sufficient support, especially for disabilities incurred during service.
  • Inadequate Police Training: Current training for police officers is insufficient in handling various situations.
  • Lack of Accountability: Police leadership is mostly not democratically elected, and community oversight is lacking.

Our Solutions:
  • Military Budget Reform: Lower the budget by cutting inflated costs, focusing funds on homeland and ally defense.
  • Veteran Support: Provide comprehensive care and seamless transitions back to civilian life, integrating disabled veterans into social welfare programs.
  • Enhanced Police Training: Require extensive education (2+ years) on laws, de-escalation, and mental health, plus a bootcamp equivalent to military training.
  • Continuous Education and Fitness: Mandate that police officers stay current with laws and maintain military-level physical fitness.
  • Democratic Leadership and Oversight[1]: Ensure police leadership is democratically elected and establish community oversight boards.

Our Reasoning:
  • Efficient Resource Use: Reducing inflated military costs allows for better allocation to essential defense and other critical areas.
  • Support for Veterans: Comprehensive care for veterans acknowledges their service and aids their transition to civilian life.
  • Effective Policing: Enhanced training prepares officers for various situations, leading to safer communities.
  • Accountability and Trust: Democratically elected police leadership and community oversight build trust between police and the communities they serve.

How we will accomplish the task:
  • Budget Reallocation: Pass laws to lower the military budget and cut inflated costs.
  • Veteran Care Programs: Expand social welfare programs to include comprehensive support for veterans.
  • Police Training Programs: Develop and implement new training programs, including mandatory education and bootcamp training.
  • Ongoing Requirements: Establish continuous education and fitness requirements for police officers.
  • Democratic Processes: Mandate democratic elections for police leadership and create community oversight boards.

Funding: 

Defense and Public Safety Reform | Net decrease of $120 billion in federal discretionary spending with these policies

  • Military Budget Reform:
  • Veteran Support:
    • Estimated Cost: $30 billion annually (for comprehensive care and transition support).
    • Funding Source: Use savings from military budget reforms.
  • Enhanced Police Training:
    • Estimated Cost: $20 billion annually (for training and education).
    • Funding Source: Reallocate from existing law enforcement budgets.
  • Continuous Education and Fitness:
    • Estimated Cost: $5 billion annually (for ongoing education and fitness programs).
    • Funding Source: Redirect from other police training funds.
  • Democratic Leadership and Oversight:
    • Estimated Cost: $5 billion annually (for establishing community oversight boards).
    • Funding Source: Reallocate from existing law enforcement budgets.

[1] Police need insurance for incidents, and lawsuits should come from police pensions, not public taxes.