Marianne Williamson unveiled her plan for a Department of Peace on Monday that includes a Peace Academy, modeled after the military service academies; a focus on 'healing-oriented approaches' in criminal justice; and wants to study how elements of our food supply affect behavior.

The department, which would have to be created by an act of Congress, would be overseen by the Secretary of Peace, who would serve as a member of the National Security Council and coordinate with other cabinet members.

Williamson, a spiritual author who has spoken of defeating President Donald Trump with 'love,' has promoted her plan on the campaign trail and in the presidential primary debates.

Marianne Williamson unveiled her plan for a Department of Peace

But Monday's unveiling offered details behind her idea.

'Right now, our national security agenda could be likened to someone who doesn't take care of their diet, doesn't take that much care of exercise, doesn't take much care of lifestyle, in terms of health, and just waits for when the inevitable sickness arises and hopes that a doctor can eradicate or suppress the symptoms of their sickness,' Williamson told the Des Moines Register of her proposal.

'Expertise in peacebuilding is just as sophisticated and important as expertise in military action,' she noted. 'I have great respect for the military. My father fought in World War II. I see the military much like one would look at a surgeon. Obviously, the United States needs to have the best surgeons in the world, but everyone knows you only have surgery if you absolutely must.'

She doesn't say how much her department will cost but, in a statement on its release, noted 'peace-building is both preferable to and less costly than war.'

She argued, in the long-run, her department will save taxpayers 'an enormous amount of money.'

But, she notes, there are short-term start-up costs that will be funded by 'reallocating existing budgets in more appropriate and coordinated ways to keep, maintain and create sustainable peace.'

The spiritual author told the Register she could see using part of the military's budget to get the peace department started.

'I could see us taking 2 per cent of the national defense budget at any moment,' Williamson said. 'It's a lot of money, it would certainly get things started.'

For fiscal year 2019, the Defense Department's budget was $693,058,000,000.

Williamson noted that 'peacebuilders should be on the national security team. They should have a seat at the table.'

The detailed proposal covers ways to deal with conflict both internationally and domestically - including in schools - and outlines approaches to violence prevention.

Her plan, detailed on her website, offers thoughts on ways to deal with criminal justice, combat white supremacy, and address conflict and gun violence.

Her proposed Peace Academy would offer a 4-year concentration in peace education and graduates would be required to serve 5 years of public service in programs dedicated to domestic or international nonviolent conflict resolution.

She wants reform 'our criminal justice system towards a focus on restorative and healing oriented approaches rather than punitive alone.'

The plan would also help communities create a 'more sustainable, peaceful culture that will help to prevent future conflicts.'

And she also proposes to 'examine how elements of our food supply affect our behaviors.'

Marianne Williamson has promoted her Peace Department plan on the campaign trail and in the presidential primary debates but Monday's unveiling offers details behind the proposal

Williamson is pushing to make the debate stage for next month's gathering in Houston. While she has met the requirement for 130,000 donors, she has yet to hit the 2 per cent mark in four national polls.

'I believe our country's way of dealing with security issues is increasingly obsolete. We have the finest military force in the world, however, we can no longer rely on force alone to rid ourselves of international enemies. The planet has become too small for that, and in so doing, we overburden our military by asking them to compensate for the other work that we choose not to do. We are less effective, and less secure, because of those choices,' she said in a statement announcing her plan.

Williamson isn't the first Democratic presidential contender to promote such a plan.

Dennis Kucinich, a former congressman and Democratic presidential candidate, proposed such a department.

Kucinich, famous for being a vegan and a ventriloquist, also wanted a secretary of peace to sit in the Cabinet and on the National Security Council.

Their role: if a conflict was about to start, then the secretaries of state and defense would have to consult with them 'concerning nonviolent means of conflict resolution.'

'The Department of Peace was not just some airy-fairy notion of, 'Let's all get together and sing 'Kumbaya.' ' Which is okay with me. But the Department of Peace is a highly structured approach that puts a permanent place for peace in our national discussion,' he told The Washington Post in 2012, as he prepared to leave Congress.

There would also be a Peace Academy and a Peace Day.

Kucinich introduced his proposal for such a department in every session of Congress from 2001 to 2011. He estimated it would cost $10 billion per year.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee has taken it up in his absence.

Kucinich was always optimistic the idea would be back.

'It'll get reintroduced. No question about it,' he told The Post at the time. 'This is an idea whose time is coming.'