Budget Cuts Must Protect Poor and Vulnerable, Say U.S. Bishops

[CMatt25]

This is the kind of rumor that is typically started to create fear and deter people who might otherwise support a particular candidate or party from following through on that inclination. I remember back during the run-up to the Bush-Kerry elections the rumor was being spread that, if Bush was elected, he would re-instate the draft. There was of course no truth to the rumor but it did in fact cause at least one person I knew to vote for Kerry for fear her son would be drafted. Rumors can be very effective and I think your comments bear that out.

Ender

No rumor in the state of FL.

While proposing a $468 million tax cut for his wealthy corporate friends, the FL Tea Party Republican governor proposes the following…

“Poor elderly and disabled citizens would no longer be provided eyeglasses, hearing aids and dentures. Programs that combat homelessness and suicide prevention would take a hit. And the state might no longer cover kidney dialysis or organ-transplant medication.”

“Scott would wipe out the $7 million that funded the Office of the Homeless, which works with local homeless coalitions to try to create programs and shelters for the state’s estimated 58,000 homeless.”

He even wants to end Homeless Memorial Day despite no state funds being involved.

The Medically Needy program is on the chopping block…

“Scott would save $1 billion over two years by cutting all but physician’s services from the adult program as of July 1, 2012; treatments like kidney dialysis and medications for organ transplant survivors or people infected with the HIV virus would not be covered. A sweeping reform of the state’s $20-billion Medicaid program, introduced this week in the Senate, contains a similar provision.”

"The Medically Needy program serves working families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but who hover around the poverty level after they pay for monthly medical expenses because of catastrophic illnesses. As of December, 38,500 people were enrolled in the program.

“To me, that’s a particularly cruel provision,” said Karen Woodall, a social services lobbyist. “It terrifies the population of Medically Needy participants every time this Legislature talks about eliminating services, which to them are life-threatening if they don’t get them.”

Slated for elimination is another program that pays for eyeglasses, hearing aids and dental work for 35,900 poor seniors and disabled citizens. Axing the program would save the state $16.8 million.

“These are not fluff services,” Woodall said. “When you’re talking about somebody getting the kidney dialysis that they need or somebody who needs a hearing aid to be able to function properly, it’s not a luxury item. It’s a necessity to their quality of life.”

palmbeachpost.com/news/state/scott-would-cut-range-of-social-service-programs-1265880.html?printArticle=y

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[CMatt25]

I heard the other day on TV that someone is planning to cut food stamps and HUD out of the budget. Well, I can assure you that if they do that, I will likely be without both food and a home. My family can’t afford to take me in. I hope and pray that they do not cut these things out of the budget.

I hope and pray too. In the wealthiest nation on earth, in my Book it will be shameful if this happens.

 

[dusty_david]

All these services for the poor. And still our taxes go up. How long will we be taken advantaged of by the sick and poor???!!!

Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude,’’ returned the gentleman, ``a few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?’’

``Nothing!’’ Scrooge replied.

``You wish to be anonymous?’’

I wish to be left alone,'' said Scrooge. Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don’t make merry myself at Christmas and I can’t afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned: they cost enough: and those who are badly off must go there.’’

``Many can’t go there; and many would rather die.’’

If they would rather die,'' said Scrooge, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population…"

literature.org/authors/dickens-charles/christmas-carol/chapter-01.html

Fewer poor, less taxes.

 

[Rohanfan]

It would be nice if either party cared about the REAL poor and vulnerable.

People on here are probably sick of seeing me say it, but I am appalled at a situation in which middle class welfare is the topic of the day, and IMAGINED to be helping the poor and the vulnerable, while the worst off of all, the disabled poor, have to totally impoverish themselves in order to get a miserable $600.00/month on SSI. Who has heard Obama or Boehner or (sorry guys) the USCCB talk about that? I sure haven’t.

And what about the people you see on the street all filthy and mumbling to themselves who might actually have decent lives if there were places where they could live (yes, including institutions) and a judicial system that would actually allow someone to take charge of their lives and make them take their meds? Nobody talks about them. Oh, yes, there is sometimes talk about the “homeless” as if most of them weren’t insane and it’s just a matter of making FNMA buy worthless mortgages.

Whenever this society takes care of the above two situations, then I’ll listen to talk about education funding and “just wages” and middle class “safety nets” and all that stuff. But not until. I have a feeling I’m in for a long wait.

Ridgerunner,

I do not get on here often but you just took the words right out of my mouth!

You get it!! You have it exactly right.

Thanks

Paul:thumbsup:

 

[Ender]

While proposing a $468 million tax cut for his wealthy corporate friends, the FL Tea Party Republican governor proposes the following…

This demonstrates the difficulties faced by any politician trying to stop the red ink hemorrhaging from his state’s budget. When spending is cut people get hurt. We claim to be able to understand this in the abstract but recoil when it actually happens. The bottom line is this: the state cannot run a deficit and has to find ways to balance its budget.

Your call to eliminate corporate tax cuts might be a good idea … then again, it may not. Where do you suppose the jobs in a state come from? States compete with one another to attract the businesses that provide the jobs that provide the salaries the states can tax to get the money they need to run their governments. If Florida isn’t an attractive place for companies to locate I’m sure Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas would be happy to offer alternative arrangements.

I don’t know what decisions Florida has to make nor do I necessarily endorse all of the recommendations in her proposed budget, and I recognize that some people will be worse off than before because of them - but cuts need to be made and hopefully there are enough adults down there to do what has to be done. I don’t necessarily put the bishops on the side of those who are being helpful in this.

Ender

 

[CMatt25]

All these services for the poor. And still our taxes go up. How long will we be taken advantaged of by the sick and poor???!!!

If serving the poor is being taken advantage of by them, then until the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is fulfilled and they are taken care of.

 

[Della]

All these services for the poor. And still our taxes go up. How long will we be taken advantaged of by the sick and poor???!!!

Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude,’’ returned the gentleman, ``a few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?’’

``Nothing!’’ Scrooge replied.

``You wish to be anonymous?’’

I wish to be left alone,'' said Scrooge. Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don’t make merry myself at Christmas and I can’t afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned: they cost enough: and those who are badly off must go there.’’

``Many can’t go there; and many would rather die.’’

If they would rather die,'' said Scrooge, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population…"

literature.org/authors/dickens-charles/christmas-carol/chapter-01.html

Fewer poor, less taxes.

If that’s the lesson you took away from this exchange from “A Christmas Carol” I’m certain that Dickens is spinning in his grave. He meant to demonstrate the hardness of Scrooge’s heart not that Scrooge’s economic policy was correct. And I suppose you think we ought to eat children of the poor to solve poverty in the world ala Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”, as well.

The division between the rich and the poor is growing for several reasons, chief among them are single parent households, a severe drop in the birthrate in two parent families (forcing a lessening number of younger people supporting programs for a growing elderly population), and the corporate mind-set that sees human beings as nothing more than commodities.

When you find yourself suddenly unemployed, your benefits have run out, and there’s no food for your family, you might find yourself seeing things from a slightly different perspective.

 

[ManOnFire]

If only we had a pop culture media that would stop Reducing people by stopping the sale of lust to break up homes, and drugs to attract people into wanting to push their pleasure buttons, and the glorification of violence, then maybe people wouldn’t lust so much for the things that Reduce the society into the addiction for more entertainment, which promotes more lust, drugs, and violence, and the cycle of blindness and slavery to pleasure continues…

 

[dusty_david]

If that’s the lesson you took away from this exchange from “A Christmas Carol” I’m certain that Dickens is spinning in his grave. He meant to demonstrate the hardness of Scrooge’s heart not that Scrooge’s economic policy was correct. And I suppose you think we ought to eat children of the poor to solve poverty in the world ala Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”, as well.

The division between the rich and the poor is growing for several reasons, chief among them are single parent households, a severe drop in the birthrate in two parent families (forcing a lessening number of younger people supporting programs for a growing elderly population), and the corporate mind-set that sees human beings as nothing more than commodities.

When you find yourself suddenly unemployed, your benefits have run out, and there’s no food for your family, you might find yourself seeing things from a slightly different perspective.

Actually I wrote tongue in cheek. Sorry, should have made it more obvious. BTW: lost my health care because I can’t afford a $400+/month policy. And I’m part of an informal food bank. Every 3 weeks or so I cook a dinner big enough to feed 8-12. I bring the food to my neighbors and they give it to families. The families are formerly middle class people. The parents skip meals so they keep their kids fed and the power on. So us neighbors kick in to help out. Times are hard everywhere. And I do what I can.

 

[Della]

Actually I wrote tongue in cheek. Sorry, should have made it more obvious. BTW: lost my health care because I can’t afford a $400+/month policy. And I’m part of an informal food bank. Every 3 weeks or so I cook a dinner big enough to feed 8-12. I bring the food to my neighbors and they give it to families. The families are formerly middle class people. The parents skip meals so they keep their kids fed and the power on. So us neighbors kick in to help out. Times are hard everywhere. And I do what I can.

I was so hoping you were being satirical–so glad you were! And it’s great you are helping others even though you are also in need.

There are people out there who really think the poor are totally to blame for their misfortunes. And there are some for whom that is true, but even they are to be aided, not castigated, as I’m sure you agree. The worst are those with means who blind themselves to the need and go about their lives as if they had no responsibility to help those less fortunate than themselves.