If the government spent less on the military, life in the Valley would almost certainly improve, according to local experts. In the Valley, it’s likely that people are dying because they don’t have health insurance. In 2010, more than 44,000 Americans died because the U.S. does not have universal health care, which Canada, Cuba, Europe, Japan, and every other rich nation has. That’s according to congressman Alan Grayson.

Every year, acres of farmland and forestland in the Valley are turned into parking lots, fast food restaurants, and “McMansion” vacation houses that are usually vacant.

There will be a march and rally for peace on May 17 at 3:45 p.m. in Northampton. The event will start at City Hall, 210 Main Street. The U.S. spends more on the military than any other nation. “The U.S. war budget is greater than the military spending of the next 13 largest military powers combined,” said event organizer Susan Theberge.

The U.S. spends about $2,000 per person per year on the military. The global average is about one-tenth that amount. That’s according to:

www.huffingtonpost.com/howard-steven-friedman/military-spending-united-s...

On April 15 in Brattleboro, and on April 16 in Northampton, there will be rallies for peace. The rallies are to cut the nation’s military budget. Almost half of this year's entire federal budget of $2.9 trillion is being spent on war. That’s according to:

www.warresisters.org/sites/default/files/FY2014piechart-english-color.pdf

People at the rallies will also call on the government to raise taxes on the rich and use the money to help the poor, through programs like better public transportation and free health care.

At 6:30 p.m. on December 10, there will be a rally for peace outside the courthouse at the corner of Main and King streets in Northampton. The rally is to cut the nation’s military budget. Almost half of this year's entire federal budget of $2.8 trillion is being spent on war. That’s according to:

www.warresisters.org/sites/default/files/FY2012piechart-color.pdf

There were rallies for justice in Springfield on March 31 and April 2. About 1,700 people attended the March 31 rally, which was the bigger of the two. The bigger rally was to support Trayvon Martin, and to protest racist police. There were similar protests around the nation. Martin was an unarmed African American teenager who was shot and killed in Florida in February by George Zimmerman. The government has failed to charge Zimmerman with any crime; he is free.

New Englanders who refuse to pay taxes that fund war will speak at a free public event in Amherst on November 4. More than half of the $2.7 trillion federal budget was spent on the military in the most recent fiscal year, according to the War Resisters League:

www.warresisters.org/pages/piechart.htm

On November 6 at noon, war tax resisters will hold a rally at the Amherst town common. The public is invited to attend.

On September 17, 19, 20, and 21, there will be rallies in Springfield and Northampton calling for better public transportation, for peace, and for justice. On September 20 in Springfield, a 90 minute rally will start at 11 a.m. at the corner of Main Street and Liberty streets. The rally will oppose a plan now in Congress to cut 35 percent of federal funding for public transportation. Details are at www.SupportTransit.org

Taxes are due on April 18 this year. Activists in Amherst and Brattleboro plan to use the occasion to educate the public. About half the federal budget goes to war. The richest Americans and biggest corporations are able to avoid paying all or most of the money they owe the government.

Protesters will hand out a pie chart showing what the government does with the money that Americans pay in income taxes:

www.warresisters.org/sites/default/files/FY2012piechart-color.pdf

About 90 people attended a peace march and rally in downtown Keene on March 19, the eighth anniversary of the start of the Iraq war. The march and rally were organized by a group called the Keene Peace Vigil. More information on the group is at:

www.nhpeaceaction.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=...

More than half of the $2,650,000,000,000 federal budget was spent on war in the most recent fiscal year, according to the War Resisters League:

www.warresisters.org/pages/piechart.htm

Information on war tax resistance is at www.nwtrcc.org

On November 29 from 4 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. in Northampton, there will be a rally to call for an end to U.S. government funding of the Israeli military. The rally will be outside city hall at 210 Main Street.

Between 1949 and 2008, the U.S. government gave the government of Israel about $114 billion, according to:

http://wrmea.org/component/content/article/245-2008-november/3845-congre...

Currently, the U.S. gives about $3 billion annually to Israel, according to: