Another real threat of federal government shut down
(The latest update on what a federal government shut down at midnight on April 8 would mean along with links to stories from numerous media outlets can be viewed here).
The federal government faces the threat of another shut down this Friday if Congress does not approve a budget for the remainder of this fiscal year. The most recent Continuing Resolution (the sixth since the beginning of the fiscal year last October), is set to expire on April 8. President Obama called together leaders of the House and Senate on Tuesday and again on Wednesday to try to broker an agreement.
Congress had tentatively agreed to a $33 B cut in this fiscal year’s budget that would have to be taken between now and September 30. However, that cut was about half of the $60 B that House Republicans supported and about $30 B more than the Senate Democrats wanted. In addition, even though the budget reduction amount was specified, there was no agreement on how the cuts would be taken.
If the House and Senate do not agree on a plan for spending through the remainder of the year, then non-essential governmental services will shut down after midnight, April 8. A federal shutdown will disproportionately affect low income families in America specifically by limiting or delaying access to the federal government’s largest anti-poverty program, the Earned Income Tax Credit.
In the meantime, House Budget Committee Chair, Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin)has introduced a budget proposal that will come to the floor this week. The proposal cuts trillions of dollars from the federal budget over the next decade by slashing programs such as Medicare and eliminating the Affordable Care Act. The budget proposal can be viewed at:
Full Budget Resolution: http://budget.house.gov/UploadedFiles/PathToProsperityFY2012.pdf
House Budget Committee’s Summary: http://budget.house.gov/UploadedFiles/KeyFactsSummary.pdf
I find it deplorable that at both the Federal and State levels that our elected officials — and the “majority” of those citizen’s who vote — are undermining the values and ethics of common human dignity through their reckless actions and decisions.
We are through our actions and lack of action placing all of us at grave risk!
They/we have struck out, yet again and are placing those individuals and families who are the least able to care for themselves in harms way. The vast majority — if not all, of these individuals could be ANY one of us! They are those who — for no fault, of their own (whatever THAT phrase means) — have been born into poverty or disability or have grown older and now face poverty or/and disability. They are the literally millions of neighbors, school chums, mothers, fathers, siblings etc who have become disabled, for whatever reason, who find that they must seek (or in many cases beg) for public assistance.
This is unacceptable in a Country, which espouses virtues that we do not follow anymore. What has happened to the common welfare of the masses? What has led us to this pitiable and shameful state? Please do not tell us who that may be — the group or person who is your “oppoite” — let’s do this as one human being to another human being!
We must join and those of us who can contribute in time or money help our fellow human beings — be that through taxes or donations to the hundreds of thousands of small non-profits doing all that they can to survive these economic times in order to help others who need their specific type of care.
Please help us send this message to both our local, state and federal government elected officials and staff, who are in positions of power and truly, unlike billions, have the ability to make the necessary changes to our structures to maintain programs that promote human rights to live in dignity.
We go to war saying that we need to do so to protect our freedom. Yet, we kill ourselves by turning our backs on one another. Is this the message we wish to pass down to our children and our children’s children? I think and pray not!
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