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January 20, 2006
Love is Patient, Love is Kind...
by Faithful Progressive
Like most bloggers, I get 100's of e-mails every week. But I always look forward to the e-mails I get from Protestants for the Common Good. The Jan. 19th from Executive Director Alexander Sharp does an excellent job of bringing the proposed US budget cuts home: When reacting to budget issues -- even the severe cuts in programs for the poor now pending in Washington -- it is easy to get lost in large numbers that seem far removed from human lives. Consider, therefore, the opening paragraph in an article on Medicaid that appeared in the most recent issue of The Christian Century:
"Martha was blind until four years ago, when Medicaid paid for her to have a corneal transplant. For the first time in her life she could see. Now she has a job. But with recent cuts in funding, Martha has lost her Medicaid. She can no longer afford the anti-rejection medicine she must take daily because of her transplant. And without the medicine she will slowly go blind."
In her column on "The Real State of the Union," Melynda Wilcox points out that "Planned Medicaid cuts at the state level will take away coverage for more than half a million people."
For Martha, it is too late. Reductions affecting her have already come down. But on behalf of millions of others, we have one more chance to protest the cuts still pending before Congress.
Love is patient, love is kind. We have needed all of our patience and all of our compassion as we have worked together to fight the immoral budget cuts engineered by the US Congress. But we need to manifest God's love one more time to fufill our role in seeking justice.
The Budget Reconciliation bill is scheduled for a vote on February 1, 2006. Call your U.S. Representative toll-free at 800-426-8073 starting January 23. This number will connect you to the Capitol switchboard. The person at the switchboard can connect you to your Representative's office, and if you're not sure who your Representative is, they can figure it out for you.
Please take this last chance to tell your representative:
Don't Choose Special Interests Over Families!
Vote Against The Budget Cut Bill!
On December 19, the House of Representatives approved a budget bill in the middle of the night that slashes aid Americans depend on – after having only a few hours to read the nearly 800-page bill.
The bill protects powerful interests with high-paid lobbyists such as the health insurance industry, pharmacuetical companies, and banks -- while it hurts people who need Medicaid, student loans, child care, child support enforcement, and disability assistance.
Because the Senate made some small changes, the bill goes back to the House for another vote on February 1. Now they have plenty of time to learn how their constituents are hurt – and vote NO.
For a PDF flier with this information, click here:
After you’re connected with a staff person from your Representative’s office, tell them:
“My name is _______________ and I live in (your town/city). I would like Representative [name] to vote NO on the budget cuts bill (S.1932). This bill will cut billions in vital services, including Medicaid, SSI, foster care, child care, child support and student loans. I urge the Representative to vote against this bill because it chooses special interests over families.”
To inform yourself on how the budget bill impacts people in your state, click here.
Posted by Faithful Progressive at January 20, 2006 01:25 AM
Comments
It would be one thing if the extreme example you cite were generally true. perhaps then we could support notions of love being kind and patient without feeling so ripped off.
the problem is the vast majority are sucked into a never ending cycle of dependency. they're kept there by folks manipulating us into an undeserved guilt trip.
already we have a system where millions of people can get medicare/medicaid, a free education, free housing, utilites paid for, free food, free counseling, free dental work, free clothes, free abortions, free marriage counseling, child support, free divorces, legal aid.
do they do anything with it? No! the vast majority do not! all they want to do is continue the free ride by talking about what happened to their ever so great-great-great grandparents!
I say cut the waste out of the system and make it more effective. if this is your third generation on welfare - good bye! Still having kids out of wedlock - screw you! got caught selling crack? it's time to put you to work in prison! think it's always someone else's fault - fuck you!
Posted by: Mark at January 25, 2006 06:40 PM
Spoken like a Christian, Mark! Why, I think Jesus' comment that "fucked are the poor" is my favorite beatitude.
Posted by: Randy at January 25, 2006 07:50 PM
There it is! Some of that good ol compassionate conservatism.
Posted by: G Pope at January 27, 2006 04:32 AM
I agree, "Fucked are the poor" is not a beatitude. But then neither is the concept that material poverty automatically leads to sainthood.
The accurate interpetation of the Beatitiude neither condemns material poverty nor does glorifies it in and of itself.
Posted by: John at June 21, 2006 04:57 AM
