Terrorism and WMDs: Hand in Hand?

Terrorism and WMDs: Hand in Hand?

Talking Points

Public Opinion:
53% of American’s feel that the U.S. spends too much on construction and maintenance of nuclear weapons programs
62% of African Americans feel too much is spent
54% of Hispanics feel too much is spent
51% of Whites feel too much is spent
74% of Americans disagree with the fact that more is spent on construction and maintenance of nuclear weapons programs than is spent on combating illiteracy and providing head start programs and college scholarships
76% of Democrats disagree with spending priorities
68% of Republicans disagree with spending priorities
84% of voters say they would feel safer if they knew that no country had nuclear weapons, including the U.S.

According to a Poll taken by Lake, Sosin, Snell and Associates, 1991

Nuclear Build Up and Preparation:

35 to 40 countries are currently capable of manufacturing nuclear weapons on short notice, in addition to the known nuclear weapons powers
According to the New York Times article 2/10/04 “Russia Tests Measures Vs. Missile Defenses” Russia has begun strategic military exercises similar to those done in anticipation of U.S. attack during the cold war, “in part by Moscow’s concerns about U.S. plans to develop new types of nuclear weapons.”
A $332 million dollar increase in nuclear weapon activities spending represents the largest spending increase in history
Approximate number of strategic U.S. nuclear weapons: 7,000
Approximate number of strategic Russian nuclear weapons: 5,000
Suggested limit of strategic weapons for both under START II: 1,500-2,000

US Disarmament Votes at the UN, 2003:

The United States cast the lone vote against enacting the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Vote 173-1 with 4 abstentions
Joining India, the United States opposed the program for “transparent, verified and irreversible reduction and elimination of nuclear forces.” Vote: 164-1 with 14 abstentions
A call for negotiations to prevent an arms race in outer space was adopted overwhelmingly in a 174 to 0 vote. The Four abstaining countries were Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Israel and the United States

Budget Woes: Do Our Dollars Make Sense?

Talking Points

Discretionary Spending- President Bush’s plan

· A 0.5% cap on growth of non security discretionary spending will cut domestic programs and represent the lowest growth since 1993.

· A total discretionary spending increase of only 3.9% is less than the increase in the average family income.

Deficit

· Last year the government spent $318 billion on interest payments for the National debit – three times a much as the entire budgets for NASA, Education and the Department of Transportation combined.

· To date, interest payments on the National Debt have cost $115 billion dollars and are the third largest expense in the federal budget.

· As of February, the National Debt has risen to $7 Trillion dollars

Unemployment

· It takes 150,000 new jobs a month to allow for new entry to the job market. To lower the unemployment rate 1% a year would 300,000 new jobs a month

· Currently, 1 out of 9 African Americans cannot find a job.

No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

· More than half of 47 states surveyed in a report on NCLB said fiscal problems affected their ability to implement the law.

· Currently under funded by almost $7 billion dollars, NCLB has come under fire from Democrats and Republicans for issuing mandates without necessary funding.

· A report by the Brookings Institute says the needs of gifted or high achieving students are ignored by NCLB

The Wage Gap

· The Gender Gap costs working families $200 billion of income annually – and hits single parent families hardest as more women head households alone than men.

· Two thirds of working women and over half of married women provide at least half of the family income