Mikaela says:
This from Washington Post via Democracy Now:
House Republican Measure Would Cut 300,000 Food Stamp Recipients
The Washington Post is reporting House Republicans are pushing a measure that would remove nearly 300,000 people off food stamps. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the number includes 70,000 legal immigrants. 40,000 children who would lose eligibility for subsidized school lunches. The food stamp cuts are one several measures included in a congressional budget cutting-package. Others include a $5 billion reduction in state child-support enforcement, and a cut of almost $400 million in foster care programs. The Post notes these cuts would be more than offset by the $70 billion in tax cuts Republicans will be pushing in the coming weeks.
Now, I know the Democrats are busy (or should be) on multiple fronts right now -- escalating deaths in Iraq, PlameGate at the White House, etc. -- but they better be doing something about this, too. This is precisely the type of low-down, dirty legislation passed while the American public is looking the other way. How on earth can you cut social programs at the PRECISE moment that inequities unveiled during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita started a national conversation about the government's role and responsibility in assuring equal access and opportunity to a decent quality of life for all Americans? How can they get away with this?
It is blantant and undeniable that this Republican legislation furthers their ideology of rewarding the wealthy for their moral/economic virtues while punishing those with inferior work ethic (because if you're poor, it's your fault, this being the land of opportunity and all) -- regardless of the reality that these are the WORKING poor who can't get hired at better jobs because racism and discrimination are real, alive, and well in all areas of the country.
Democrats -- pay attention and STOP THEM. Do you really want to make the victims of Katrina and Rita victims AGAIN, but this time of Congress?
Isn't it time to send a different message that not only will we help in times of disaster, we recognize that MOST times for these families are times of disaster, and we'll work to AVOID disaster together as a nation?
This makes me so unbelievably angry.
Republicans have got us chasing down each crisis so that we're distracted and ineffective, and they can do what they want -- with the war, with ANWR, with the Supreme Court, with social services... It goes on and on, but it must stop somewhere!
I loved the Democrats going on the offensive in enforcing a closed-session Senate until an agreement was reached to review intelligence information. That was great. And if they're ready to do it every day for that, why not for a lot of this stuff? The country is ready for a larger discussion about government responsibility and accountability. Well, at least, I know I am.
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