Dear future President,

My name is Max. I’m from Westport Connecticut. I wanted to discuss something that has been plaguing our country for years. Our military is one of the world's best, but it also consumes over 54% of our budget and costs needless American lives. Our country is going through some tough times right now and we need to do everything necessary to help it. We need to reduce the budget of the military, and pull out of the territories that we are in now to protect our soldiers.

We need to reduce the amount of money that we spend on our military. On national interest’s website, it said, “The United States spends more than the next seven countries combined (on its military).” On the national priorities website, they said,” Military spending - 598 billion dollars”. If we spent half of what we are spending now on military, we would still have the biggest military, and we would be saving 250 billion dollars. We could be spending that on much more important things such as: research on incurable diseases, helping our poor, research into cleaner energy, raising the standard of education, helping with student loans, or lowering taxes. If the federal budget had an extra 250 billion dollars our standard of living would improve in one way or another. We loss more than money in these unnecessary conflicts.

We lose fathers, mother, sons, and daughters in these conflicts. The Huffington post wrote, “6,845 Americans Died … in Iraq and Afghanistan”. That is more than the last 9 conflicts combined. Almost as bad as losing a life is ruining one. The Huffington post also wrote, “900,000 Were Injured in Iraq and Afghanistan”. 900,000 people’s lives we destroyed in our need to get revenge. There was no logical reason to invade Iran. We invaded Iran because we needed to blame someone for 9/11. Ever since we invaded we have decided to take on the responsibility to clean up the middle east. Which has caused only more problems. We need to be focused on ourselves before we take care of others. I know that you Mr. Trump have lost someone, your father. I also know that you Mrs. Clinton have lost someone, your mother. So, both of you know what it feels like to lose a loved one. Needless family are being destroyed to fuel an unnecessary war, end it to stop the suffering.

There is a simple solution to our problems, cut the budget of the military and resolving these needless conflicts. 250 billion dollars can go a long way in improving our standard of living in our country, and bringing our soldier so we all can sleep easy. Why are we punishing ourselves so much to help other people?

Sincerely,

                Max Wilhelm