On October 10 I posted Good Intentions and Unintended Consequences where I talked about the unintended impact that Katrina was having on giving to other pressing needs. I hinted at the intended one - that the poor would shoulder the lion's share of the burden for rebuilding. Well, my fears are coming true. Congress is working on the budget for the coming year and cuts of at least $50 BILLION are proposed to programs that directly serve the poor. At the same time $70 billion in new tax cus are proposed for the wealthiest among us. Among the proposed cuts:
$9.5 billion in Medicaid
$5 Billion in Child Support Enforcement
$844 Million in food stamps (this is much less than the administration wanted cut here)
This budget is immoral and unjust. It is also sin. Look what the Bible says in Ezekiel 16:48-49 (NRSV)
As I live, says the Lord God, your sister Sodom and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done. This was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.
If you live in the US, write your senators and representatives and express your outrage at this budget. Write the president and remind him that his budget is anything but Christian.
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