Opinion: We Have Plenty of Money for Education

Columnist argues military spending could be redirected to fund public schools

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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In this opinion piece, the author argues that the U.S. government spends far too much on military and defense, and that a fraction of those funds could be redirected to significantly boost education budgets, using New Haven, Connecticut as an example. The author breaks down the military budget and proposes reallocating $750 billion to areas like public schools, infrastructure, healthcare, and environmental initiatives.

Why it matters

The author's main point is that the U.S. has the financial resources to dramatically improve public education, but chooses to prioritize military spending instead. This debate over budget priorities and the opportunity cost of defense spending is an ongoing political issue with major implications for communities across the country.

The details

The author cites specific figures to illustrate the scale of military spending versus potential education funding. For example, the U.S. spent an estimated $5.642 billion on its "aggression" towards Venezuela over six months, which the author argues could have been used to benefit public schools. The author also notes that if New Haven received education funding proportional to its student population from that Venezuela spending, it would have amounted to $2 million. More broadly, the author states that redirecting just $750 billion from the $1 trillion military budget could provide a 43% boost to New Haven's entire $705 million municipal budget.

  • The U.S. spent an estimated $5.642 billion on its Venezuela aggression over a six-month period.
  • The U.S. military budget for 2026 is projected to be around $1 trillion, which was voted for by Connecticut's Congressional delegation and signed by President Trump.

The players

Henry Lowendorf

The author of the opinion piece and a member of the Greater New Haven Peace Council.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States who signed the $1 trillion military budget for 2026.

Connecticut's Congressional Delegation

The group of Congressional representatives from Connecticut who voted for the $1 trillion military budget for 2026.

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What they’re saying

“Imagine how much education that could pay for.”

— Henry Lowendorf, Columnist (ctmirror.org)

“A tiny fraction of that keeps their lobbyists in nice houses. It gives their CEOs multiple houses, yachts, private jets. It helps elect friendly members of Congress.”

— Henry Lowendorf, Columnist (ctmirror.org)

“Let's redirect, say, $750 billion to what we need instead of what the Military Industrial Complex extracts from our communities every year.”

— Henry Lowendorf, Columnist (ctmirror.org)

What’s next

The author does not specify any clear next steps, but the implication is that readers should contact their Congressional representatives to advocate for reallocating military spending towards education and other domestic priorities.

The takeaway

This opinion piece makes a strong case that the U.S. government has ample financial resources to significantly boost funding for public education and other critical needs, if it chooses to redirect a portion of the massive military budget. The author argues this would improve national security by investing in the country's human capital and infrastructure, rather than funneling money to defense contractors and the "Military Industrial Complex."