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Common Sense Budget Act
Summary
This legislation offers a positive vision on how America can invest in our communities without raising taxes or enlarging the deficit.
America’s spirit is weakened when our kids go to school in run-down buildings, and when our children don’t get to see a doctor because they have no health insurance, our nation’s soul is taxed. The Common Sense Budget Act offers a plan for America to strengthen our communities, while remaining fiscally responsible to future generations.
Under the Common Sense Budget Act, America would 1) provide health insurance to all our children who lack it, 2) rebuild America’s crumbling public schools over 12 years, 3) retrain a quarter-million workers, 4) cut our reliance on foreign oil in half over 10 years, 5) increase funding for homeland security and veterans medical care, 6) save millions of lives in impoverished nations, and 7) begin to reduce the deficit.
Common Sense Budget Act dividends
If CSBA funds were distributed to states by population, these sums would be available annually for schools, health care, and other priorities. |
Alabama |
$539,940,242 |
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Montana |
$110,470,553 |
Alaska |
$78,119,540 |
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Nebraska |
$208,245,751 |
Arizona |
$684,592,169 |
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Nevada |
$278,275,093 |
Arkansas |
$328,078,468 |
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New Hampshire |
$154,883,920 |
California |
$4,278,085,633 |
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New Jersey |
$1,036,796,057 |
Colorado |
$548,428,882 |
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New Mexico |
$226,847,911 |
Connecticut |
$417,585,164 |
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New York |
$2,291,625,050 |
Delaware |
$98,968,858 |
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North Carolina |
$1,018,005,223 |
DC |
$65,972,922 |
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North Dakota |
$75,608,382 |
Florida |
$2,073,520,959 |
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Ohio |
$1,365,768,787 |
Georgia |
$1,052,350,479 |
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Oklahoma |
$419,962,832 |
Hawaii |
$150,514,513 |
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Oregon |
$428,429,064 |
Idaho |
$166,059,161 |
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Pennsylvania |
$1,478,672,669 |
Illinois |
$1,515,303,938 |
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Rhode Island |
$128,797,630 |
Indiana |
$743,439,120 |
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South Carolina |
$500,356,465 |
Iowa |
$352,133,091 |
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South Dakota |
$91,879,477 |
Kansas |
$326,037,147 |
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Tennessee |
$703,319,834 |
Kentucky |
$494,141,324 |
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Texas |
$2,680,525,402 |
Louisiana |
$538,222,515 |
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Utah |
$284,743,151 |
Maine |
$156,999,852 |
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Vermont |
$74,062,284 |
Maryland |
$662,450,026 |
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Virginia |
$889,116,772 |
Massachusetts |
$764,766,021 |
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Washington |
$739,412,853 |
Michigan |
$1,205,296,055 |
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West Virginia |
$216,367,174 |
Minnesota |
$607,969,503 |
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Wisconsin |
$656,606,033 |
Mississippi |
$345,996,732 |
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Wyoming |
$60,371,833 |
Missouri |
$685,877,485 |
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US TOTAL |
$35 BILLION |
The Common Sense Budget Act:
- Increases federal investment in programs that build strong communities here and abroad,
- Costs the American taxpayer nothing,
- Uses $60 billion of funds recouped mostly by eliminating Pentagon spending on weapons systems designed to thwart threats from the former Soviet Union that no longer exist,
- Maintains America’s ability to defend itself from terrorism or other threats.
Of the $60 billion saved by the CSBA, $35 billion would be available annually for domestic human needs programs. These savings would be allocated to the states based on their population, so that every American community would benefit.
The Common Sense Budget Act makes these annual savings and resulting investments:
SAVINGS FROM THE PENTAGON BUDGET |
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NEW INVESTMENTS |
Program |
Cost |
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Program |
Cost |
F-22 fighter |
$3.3 billion |
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Modernize & rebuild every public school in America |
$10 billion |
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter |
$3.2 billion |
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Provide health coverage for every American child who lacks it |
$9 billion |
C130J aircraft |
$1.6 billion |
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Support and train laid off workers |
$5 billion |
V-22 Osprey |
$1.6 billion |
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Invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy, to cut US dependence on imported oil by 50% in 10 years |
$10 billion |
Virginia class submarine |
$2.3 billion |
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Prevent starvation thru humanitarian assistance |
$13 billion |
DDX destroyer |
$1.8 billion |
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Fund community needs for homeland security |
$5 billion |
Ballistic missile defense |
$7.5 billion |
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Improve health care for veterans |
$3 billion |
Forces that are no longer needed |
$9 billion |
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Reduce the deficit |
$5 billion |
Space weapons |
$5 billion |
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Future combat systems |
$2.4 billion |
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Defense Department efficiencies |
$4.3 billion |
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Defense Department Research, Development and Testing |
$5 billion |
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Department of Energy Nuclear Weapons Production |
$13 billion |
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TOTAL |
$60 billion |
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$60 billion |
These unneeded Cold War-era Pentagon programs can be eliminated while maintaining America’s capacity to protect our interests, according to an analysis by Dr. Lawrence Korb (who served President Ronald Reagan as Assistant Secretary of Defense). Korb’s analysis is supported by:
Vice Admiral Jack Shanahan, USN (ret.), former Commander, U.S. Second Fleet
Captain James Bush (USN, ret.), commanded a nuclear missile submarine
Brigadier General Dallas Brown, Jr. (USA, ret.), nuclear weapons authority
Ambassador Ralph Earle, directed the U.S. Arms Control & Disarmament Agency
Colonel Everett Riccioni (USAF, ret.), air superiority authority and former test pilot
Franklin Spinney, former senior analyst in the Office of the Secretary of Defense
Admiral Stansfield Turner (USN, ret), former Director of the CIA
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