President Bush's New Budget Undermines Basic Values
by Janis D. Shields
"It is a reproach to religion and government to suffer so much poverty and excess." -- William Penn, Some Fruits of Solitude, No. 52
President Bush's proposed fiscal year 2007 federal budget violates religious teachings calling for fairness and is at odds with the needs and values of ordinary Americans, according to the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a social justice organization.
"Quakers believe there is 'that of God' in every person, which leads us to value dignity, justice, and fairness," said Mary Ellen McNish, AFSC general secretary.
"These are basic American values. The budget violates these values by cutting vital programs for low- and middle-income Americans while continuing huge tax breaks that favor the most well-off. In addition, the budget drains away needed resources to pay for a war that has made us less secure. We believe that is morally and fiscally irresponsible."
The budget for the fiscal year ending in October 2007 proposes a $79 billion five-year increase in spending for war and homeland security, not including the costs of U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan after 2007, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP).
Pentagon spending would increase by nearly 7 percent while non-"security"-related government operations are cut by 0.5 percent. The nearly $440 billion Pentagon budget is 45 percent greater than when Bush took office five years ago.
"These priorities are wrong and immoral," said McNish. "For centuries, the world's religions have called for social justice. William Penn, an English Quaker who founded Pennsylvania, spoke out against the extremes of wealth and poverty we are seeing in our country today. The book of Proverbs (31:9) challenges us to "Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and the needy."
Earlier this month, the House of Representatives narrowly approved an administration-supported bill which will cut $40 billion from vital social programs, including Medicaid, child support enforcement, foster care, child care, and student loans as part of the 2006 federal budget reconciliation process.
On February 6, President Bush introduced his proposed budget for 2007, which includes further cuts. The budget would eliminate or significantly reduce 141 programs, including 42 education programs.
Among the programs targeted for elimination are the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which provides food for low-income elderly Americans; the Preventive Care Block Grant, which provides preventive health-care services for underserved populations; and the Community Services Block Grant, which provides services for low-income families, elders and individuals with disabilities.
"It is shocking to learn that 25 million Americans had to turn to food banks, soup kitchens and shelters for meals last year, while President Bush's proposed budget seeks to reduce or eliminate public programs that provide meals for seniors, children and working families," said Roberta Spivek, National AFSC Economic Justice coordinator.
"Bush's proposed 2007 budget would eliminate the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which provides food to 420,000 low-income elders, pregnant women and young children. It would deny food stamps to 300,000 people in working families, and make it harder for their children to receive free school lunches."
Other cuts include a 26 percent cut in the Section 202 housing program for low-income elderly; a 30 percent cut in Community Development Block Grants; a 79 percent cut in Community Oriented Policing Services; and a $1.03 billion cut in the Child Care and Development Block Grant. The latter cut would mean that 400,000 fewer children would receive childcare assistance in 2011 than in 2005, according to CBPP. New Medicaid cuts would substantially shift costs to the states, and would likely force states to reduce eligibility or scale back health benefits for low-income children, parents, seniors and people with disabilities.
The savings achieved by these program cuts would be far outweighed by tax cuts that primarily benefit high-income households, according to CBPP. The Center estimates that making the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanent would provide an estimated $900 billion to the top one percent of households over the next ten years. The cost of those cuts plus an extension of Alternative Minimum Tax savings would add $3.3 trillion to the deficit when interest costs are included.
"In the last year," McNish said, "AFSC joined forces with religious groups, labor unions, and community organizations to oppose irresponsible budget cuts and immoral priorities.
Collectively, we were able to build a powerful coalition that limited some of the damage to low- and middle-income people. In the coming year, we will redouble our efforts to change the direction of this country and promote rational and responsible priorities that the people of the United States so deeply need and deserve."
AFSC sponsored a national toll-free number to Congress that generated over 81,000 calls to Congress about last year's budget, according to McNish.
STREET SPIRIT
1515 Webster St, #303
Oakland, CA 94612Phone: (510) 238-8080, ext. 303E-mail: Spirit
© 2002-2005 STREET SPIRIT. All rights reserved.
Published by American Friends Service Committee
Editor and Web Design: Terry Messman