Lower the Military Budget by 1\%

For the 2009 fiscal year, the base budget of the Department of Defense rose to $518.3 billion. Adding emergency discretionary spending, supplemental spending, and stimulus spending brings the sum to $651.2 billion. The Rhodes Chapter of International Justice Mission is circulating a petition around campus and now online to send to President Obama asking him to lower the defense budget by 1\%. With the $5-6 billion that would save, we are asking him to use it to help the impoverished and needy population.