National Priorities: What Does Real Homeland Security Look Like?

Please join us for a talk by Dr. Barb Chalfonte on “National Priorities: What Does Real Homeland Security Look Like?” at the Walpole Public Library on Tuesday, November 18, at 7:00 PM. Dr. Chalfonte, a Senior Research Associate at the National Priorities Project, will consider what it really means to be secure at home as a nation. From the perspective of our current federal budget, homeland security primarily means military defense, but what about food, energy, jobs, health care, and housing security? Dr. Chalfonte will look at the role of the federal government in meeting those security needs. She will also talk about tradeoffs between excessive military spending on war and fossil fuel access versus social needs spending. You may be surprised to hear how much the U.S. spends on defense compared to all other developed countries of the world. Dr. Chalfonte will also examine the impact of federal budget priorities on towns like Walpole and discuss how individuals can advocate to make those budget priorities reflect their own.

The National Priorities Project, NPP, is a research organization that analyzes and clarifies federal data so that people can understand and influence how their tax dollars are spent. Located in Northampton, MA, since 1983, NPP focuses on the impact of federal spending and other policies at the national, state, congressional district and local levels.

Dr. Chalfonte has a background in science and technology research as well as in organizing for social and economic justice. Prior to joining the NPP, she worked at Bell Communications Research and was on the faculty of Mt. Holyoke College. Dr. Chalfonte has written and lectured on how people understand and remember information and how to design technology to support that understanding. She has also worked on several political campaigns and served on the boards of political action committees. She holds a Ph.D. from Princeton University and a B.A. from Williams College.

People should note that the talk starts at 7:00 PM, which is earlier than the usual time for talks sponsored by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group.

Bacevich Dedication Sat Nov 8 10AM

The Dedication of the Bacevich Memorial on the Walpole Common will take place tomorrow, Saturday, November 8th at 10 AM. The public is invited. Dr. Bacevich will speak. Come if you can.

Updates:

Soldier honored at Walpole fountain rededication
Evangelical foreign policy is over