Justice and Peace

JUSTICE AND PEACE

MARY BETH REYNOLDS

VICE MODERATOR

Submitted by Muriel Stephens

Action Alert - Call for a Faithful Federal Budget

As people of faith our call is clear. Scripture instructs us to do justice, love mercy, and to care for our neighbors. We live out these commandments not just as individuals in our local communities, but as a society through our government. The yearly debate over the federal budget is – at its heart –a struggle for our nation’s moral conscience.

This week, hundreds of faith advocates gathered in the Nation’s Capital at the PC(USA)’s Compassion, Peace and Justice Training Day and at Ecumenical Advocacy Days to demand a Faithful Budget. Together they carried a message to Congress, asking that our national leaders defend people struggling to live in dignity by funding programs that protect vulnerable populations here and abroad.

Join them in lifting your voice - Call on your elected officials to pass a faithful budget!

The House of Representatives will consider its committee-passed budget this week. This budget not only cuts even deeper than the already agreed-upon cuts approved at the end of 2011, but it turns a vision of a Faithful Budget upside down.

An analysis of the budget approved by the House Budget Committee shows that the news is bad for people who are struggling:

The proposed budget slashes almost every service – Medicaid, SNAP/food assistance, education, housing, child care, and more. By 2022, Medicaid, the program that provides health coverage to the poorest and most vulnerable people, would be cut by one-third!

The proposed budget cuts the highly effective Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps) by 17 percent over the next 10 years. This will put millions more American families at risk of hunger.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reports that the cuts are so severe that most of the government—aside from health care, Social Security, and defense—would cease to exist by 2050.

We must stand with those among us whose need is great and work together as a community to re-arrange our national priorities to focus on the common good. Together we can urge Congress to show their commitment to these ideals by enacting legislation that enhances the well-being of all Americans.

Send an Email!

Call on Congress to craft a federal budget that protects the common good, values each individual and his or her livelihood, and helps lift the burden on the poor, rather than increasing it while shielding the wealthiest from any additional sacrifice.

The next 24 hours are crucial as the House of Representatives plans to vote on this budget tomorrow, March 29. Please email or call your representative now. Bread for the World has generously provided a toll-free number to the Capitol switchboard -- 1-800-826-3688. If the line is busy, please redial and call again.

2012 ECUMENICAL ADVOCACY DAYS

Washington DC was a glorious sight this spring. Not only was the town in bloom but Ecumenical Advocacy Days EAD was there. There were more than 750 people from every state and Puerto Rico there were people from 50 denominations including a large group of Presbyterians.The focus of the conference was to advocate for a more “Faithful Budget”. Since 2002 there has been a budget crisis. There has been a tax cut on the upper 5% of the richest people in the country and the war is costing us a billions. Many think the tax base should be more equitable. Some in congress think we need tax cuts. Our focus was to tell our congressmen not to cut the social benefits of the poor.

We have the largest military budget in the world 52% of the total budget. More than nearly all other nations in the world combined. A very small amount goes to health, veterans, and social benefits. The President’s proposed total spending (FY 2013) looks much different with more going to social benefits and less on the military, and more equitable tax base. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities the Ryan budget would slash low-income programs and the Romney budget cuts non-defense programs (Medicare, Medicaid, and other nondefense programs). Strong social programs are affordable, efficient, and effective. To balance the budget we must raise revenues and go back to more equitable tax base.

It was emphasized at the conference that the changes in a more “Faithful Budget” and all other changes in environment, health, hunger, clean water, clean air, CAFOs, clean renewable energy, fair voter registration, prison reform, and all issues that need to be addressed has to come from grass roots.

Thinking of what I can do to make a difference, I thought I would start with voter registration in my county. I went to the County Courthouse and learned how to register people and took 100 registration cards. I started the first day at a local food pantry and registered 5 people in a few hours. I drafted a letter to my U.S. congressmen for a more “Faithful Budget”. I also called 8 state congressmen to stop the CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations) from polluting my state.

What can you do to make a difference? Many, many things can be done. It has to start with grass roots efforts and that is you and me. Write or call your congressmen for starters. Tell them not to balance the budget on the backs of the poor, to keep all of the social programs for the poor in place. Tell them you want a more equitable tax rate and the wealthy should pay their share. Tell them the military spending is outrageous. Get involved. When the poor are blessed the whole country is blessed.

Learn more

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: cbpp.org

nationalpriorities.org info@nationalpriorities.org (413)584 9556

nationalpriorties.org/en/analysis/2012/presidents-budget-fy2013

Green Scissors report available on line at www.greenscissors.com

Muriel Stephens Synod of Mid-America