SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Memo to Obama: How to Convert to A Peace Economy
Jan 11, 2009
You have been elected by the
first anti-war constituency since 1952, when Eisenhower was elected after promising
to end the Korean War. But ending a war isn't the same as bringing peace.
America has been on a war footing since the day after Pearl Harbor, sixty-seven
years ago. We spend more on our military than the next sixteen countries
combined. If you have a vision of change that goes to the heart of this
country's deep problems, ending our dependence on war is far more important
than ending our dependency on foreign oil.
The most immediate changes are
economic. Unless it can make as much money as war, peace doesn't stand a
chance. Since aerospace and military technologies remain the United States'
most destructive export, fostering wars around the world, what steps can we
take to reverse that trend and build a peace-based economy?
1. Scale out arms dealing and
make it illegal by the year 2020.
2. Write into every defense
contract a requirement for a peacetime project.
3. Subsidize conversion of
military companies to peaceful uses with tax incentives and direct funding.
4. Convert military bases to
housing for the poor.
5. Phase out all foreign
military bases.
6. Require military personnel to
devote part of their time to rebuilding infrastructure.
7. Call a moratorium on future
weapons technologies.
8. Reduce armaments like
destroyers and submarines that have no use against terrorism and were intended
to defend against a superpower enemy that no longer exists.
9. Fully fund social services
and take the balance out of the defense and homeland security budgets.
These are just the beginning. We
don't lack creativity in coping with change. Without a conversion of our
present war economy to a peace economy, the high profits of the
military-industrial complex ensures that it will never end.
Do these nine steps seem
unrealistic or fanciful? In various ways other countries have adopted similar
measures. The former Soviet army is occupied with farming and other peaceful
work, for example. But comparisons are rather pointless, since only the United
States is burdened with such a massive reliance on defense spending.
Ultimately, empire follows the dollar. As a society we want peace, and we want
to be seen as a nation that promotes peace. For either ideal to come true, you
as president must back up your vision of change with economic reality. So far,
that hasn't happened under any of your predecessors. All hopes are pinned on
you.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
© 2023 Tikkun
Deepak Chopra
Deepak Chopra came to the U.S. in 1970 from his native India to practice medicine, a career that evolved into the field of mind-body medicine. His breakthrough book, "Quantum Healing," brought him public recognition in 1989. Since then he has written more than 42 books and travels worldwide as a spiritual speaker who fuses Western science with Eastern wisdom. He lives in La Jolla with his wife, Rita, and has two grown children and two grandchildren. Dr. Chopra heads the Chopra Center in Carlsbad, California, which specializes in many alternative treatment modalities including Ayurveda.
You have been elected by the
first anti-war constituency since 1952, when Eisenhower was elected after promising
to end the Korean War. But ending a war isn't the same as bringing peace.
America has been on a war footing since the day after Pearl Harbor, sixty-seven
years ago. We spend more on our military than the next sixteen countries
combined. If you have a vision of change that goes to the heart of this
country's deep problems, ending our dependence on war is far more important
than ending our dependency on foreign oil.
The most immediate changes are
economic. Unless it can make as much money as war, peace doesn't stand a
chance. Since aerospace and military technologies remain the United States'
most destructive export, fostering wars around the world, what steps can we
take to reverse that trend and build a peace-based economy?
1. Scale out arms dealing and
make it illegal by the year 2020.
2. Write into every defense
contract a requirement for a peacetime project.
3. Subsidize conversion of
military companies to peaceful uses with tax incentives and direct funding.
4. Convert military bases to
housing for the poor.
5. Phase out all foreign
military bases.
6. Require military personnel to
devote part of their time to rebuilding infrastructure.
7. Call a moratorium on future
weapons technologies.
8. Reduce armaments like
destroyers and submarines that have no use against terrorism and were intended
to defend against a superpower enemy that no longer exists.
9. Fully fund social services
and take the balance out of the defense and homeland security budgets.
These are just the beginning. We
don't lack creativity in coping with change. Without a conversion of our
present war economy to a peace economy, the high profits of the
military-industrial complex ensures that it will never end.
Do these nine steps seem
unrealistic or fanciful? In various ways other countries have adopted similar
measures. The former Soviet army is occupied with farming and other peaceful
work, for example. But comparisons are rather pointless, since only the United
States is burdened with such a massive reliance on defense spending.
Ultimately, empire follows the dollar. As a society we want peace, and we want
to be seen as a nation that promotes peace. For either ideal to come true, you
as president must back up your vision of change with economic reality. So far,
that hasn't happened under any of your predecessors. All hopes are pinned on
you.
Deepak Chopra
Deepak Chopra came to the U.S. in 1970 from his native India to practice medicine, a career that evolved into the field of mind-body medicine. His breakthrough book, "Quantum Healing," brought him public recognition in 1989. Since then he has written more than 42 books and travels worldwide as a spiritual speaker who fuses Western science with Eastern wisdom. He lives in La Jolla with his wife, Rita, and has two grown children and two grandchildren. Dr. Chopra heads the Chopra Center in Carlsbad, California, which specializes in many alternative treatment modalities including Ayurveda.
You have been elected by the
first anti-war constituency since 1952, when Eisenhower was elected after promising
to end the Korean War. But ending a war isn't the same as bringing peace.
America has been on a war footing since the day after Pearl Harbor, sixty-seven
years ago. We spend more on our military than the next sixteen countries
combined. If you have a vision of change that goes to the heart of this
country's deep problems, ending our dependence on war is far more important
than ending our dependency on foreign oil.
The most immediate changes are
economic. Unless it can make as much money as war, peace doesn't stand a
chance. Since aerospace and military technologies remain the United States'
most destructive export, fostering wars around the world, what steps can we
take to reverse that trend and build a peace-based economy?
1. Scale out arms dealing and
make it illegal by the year 2020.
2. Write into every defense
contract a requirement for a peacetime project.
3. Subsidize conversion of
military companies to peaceful uses with tax incentives and direct funding.
4. Convert military bases to
housing for the poor.
5. Phase out all foreign
military bases.
6. Require military personnel to
devote part of their time to rebuilding infrastructure.
7. Call a moratorium on future
weapons technologies.
8. Reduce armaments like
destroyers and submarines that have no use against terrorism and were intended
to defend against a superpower enemy that no longer exists.
9. Fully fund social services
and take the balance out of the defense and homeland security budgets.
These are just the beginning. We
don't lack creativity in coping with change. Without a conversion of our
present war economy to a peace economy, the high profits of the
military-industrial complex ensures that it will never end.
Do these nine steps seem
unrealistic or fanciful? In various ways other countries have adopted similar
measures. The former Soviet army is occupied with farming and other peaceful
work, for example. But comparisons are rather pointless, since only the United
States is burdened with such a massive reliance on defense spending.
Ultimately, empire follows the dollar. As a society we want peace, and we want
to be seen as a nation that promotes peace. For either ideal to come true, you
as president must back up your vision of change with economic reality. So far,
that hasn't happened under any of your predecessors. All hopes are pinned on
you.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy