Dear John,

$1.7 trillion. 

That’s how much Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jet program is going to cost over its lifetime. 

But did you also know that 45 million people currently hold $1.7 trillion in student debt? 

Yet, while President Biden deliberates the Pentagon budget for 2023, there remains a persistent myth that we just “can’t afford” to cancel $1.7 trillion of student debt. 

We CAN afford student debt cancellation and education for all. We CAN’T afford to pour more money into the deadly U.S. war machine.

➡️President Biden: #CutThePentagon and CANCEL student debt! ⬅️

This issue couldn’t be clearer: does President Biden care more about the lives of 45 million people or the profits of Lockheed Martin? 

As the Biden Administration deliberates the Pentagon budget for 2023, millions of Americans are losing work, can’t afford their bills and are struggling to put food on the table. Student loan defaults are hitting Black, Indigenous and brown borrowers the hardest. With the stroke of a pen, President Biden could cancel $1.7 trillion in student debt and provide financial relief to 45 million people across this country.  Call on President Biden to #CutThePentagon and CANCEL student debt! 

Some claim we “can’t afford” to improve the lives of millions of people, however, over the past twenty years, the U.S. spent over $21 trillion on the so-called “War on Terror”. We can’t continue down the path of destructive U.S militarism which has caused untold suffering at home and abroad.

It’s time to #CutThePentagon and invest in education. We can start by canceling all $1.7 trillion in student debt. But we have to continue by investing in our education system. For $1.7 trillion, we could invest in 361,335 Scholarships for University Students for 4 Years. 

Let's invest in education, not more war and militarism!

Towards peace,

Olivia, Carley, Jodie, and the CODEPINK team

P.S.-Dress for peace in your CODEPINK t-shirt or with our peace face masks. Buy your t-shirt here and your mask here!