A "values" view of the Bush Budget by the Episcopal ChurchPresiding Bishop

[papau]

and by Sojourners.


Tuesday, February 8, 2005

Statement on the President's FY'06 budget by the Most Rev. Frank T.
Griswold, Presiding Bishop And Primate of the Episcopal Church, USA

The Presiding Bishop today offered the following commentary on
President Bush's FY'06 budget request:

In the life of our nation, one of the most concrete expressions of our
shared moral values and priorities is the federal budget. In examining
whether a budget properly reflects America's values, the Church is called to ask the following questions:

* Is the budget compassionate? Jesus tells his followers to "be
compassionate, as your Heavenly Father is compassionate." But compassion is just an abstraction unless we make it real in our lives. A compassionate nation must use its common resources not just for matters like security and national defense, but also to respond to the Gospel command to care for the least among us.
* Does the budget strive to serve the human family, both at home and around the world? Our nation is part of a community that stretches beyond our borders. This gives us an imperative to use our common resources to combat poverty, disease, injustice, and instability wherever they occur, but most of all in places where the need is greatest. * Does the budget serve the common good? Jesus tells us that "from everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required." While we hear a great deal in the secular world about creating an "ownership society," the ethic of Christian stewardship teaches us that the resources we possess are God's
alone, merely held in trust by human hands. In a nation of such immense prosperity, our budget must seek to use our resources not just for our own good, but broadly for the good of the entire human family.

While there are some areas in President Bush's budget that give me hope, I am deeply disheartened by others. As Congress begins its budget deliberations and the Administration negotiates with them, there are a number of areas I hope they will consider anew. In particular, I am concerned that this budget neglects and exacerbates our nation's healthcare crisis, especially for children and seniors, and fails to honor the commitments our nation has made to combating poverty and disease overseas.

Such a budget is not a reflection of the compassionate values of our
nation, nor of the Gospel's command to care for the least among us.

HEALTHCARE

Forty-five million Americans today lack access to quality and affordable health care, an increase of five million over the past three years. This budget exacerbates the problem by recommending deep cuts in Medicaid, of which the most bruising impact of these cuts will fall upon the neediest in our midst: the poor, children, senior citizens, and the disabled and states will be hard-pressed to make up the difference. If our federal budget is to reflect the values of the American people, it must better care for the neediest among us.

POVERTY AND DISEASE ABROAD

Two years ago, I warmly applauded the President's call for $15 billion to combat HIV/AIDS overseas and his creation of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) to combat poverty and instability around the world. These are areas of deep concern for me, especially as I consider the plight of our 27 million Anglican brothers and sisters who live in sub-Saharan Africa. While I am gratified to see that both program areas received small increases over last year's funding levels, I am concerned that they continue to fall short
of the commitments the President has made. In particular, I am troubled that the budget, for the second time in two years, significantly cuts the U.S. contribution to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and funds the MCA at just 60 percent of its promised level. These figures are particularly problematic when viewed alongside the budget's other cuts in foreign-aid programs. As the President has observed in the past, our nation's efforts to combat poverty and disease abroad are not just a matter of humanitarian obligation, but a necessity in building a more secure and stable world.

AID FOR THE PALESTINIANS

One area of the budget that gives me hope is the provision of $150 million in aid to the Palestinian people. It is my sincere prayer that this is a signal that the United States has re-committed itself to helping to lead a political process to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At this unique moment of opportunity, the vision of a two-state solution is coming back into focus, giving me hope that Palestinians and Israelis may both soon live in freedom and security.
=========================================================
Bush's budget proposals:

Making permanent the tax cuts of 2001 - 70% of which benefited the
wealthiest 20% of U.S. citizens

The elimination of block grants that aid poor communities

Making it more difficult for working poor families with children to be on
Medicaid

A $355 million cut to programs that promote safe and drug-free schools

Cuts to housing and urban development programs

The elimination of 48 educational programs


Yesterday, President Bush released his administration's proposed 2006
federal budget. The $2.6 trillion budget projects a record $427 billion budget deficit, not including funding for Iraq and Afghanistan. It includes increases in military spending while at the same time proposes major cuts to domestic programs that benefit people living in poverty.

Budgets are moral documents. This administration's proposed budget
reflects a set of priorities that stand in clear opposition to biblical values. Paying attention to the poorest among us is arguably the most central biblical imperative-not increased spending on nuclear warheads and tax cuts for the rich.

When considering a document as important as this one, it is imperative that our leaders consider its impact on people living in poverty. Urge your members of Congress to consider this budget's effect on the poor.

http://go.sojo.net/campaign/budget_06/step1.tcl

[NAO]

1. Done. This is the guy who wrote the book "God's Politics"

Jim Wallis. I hope many will respond to this and use the built in form letter, mass mailing generator that is provided in the link in the original post. Here is the scripture that bears directly on this issue.

Jesus vs. The Economic Conservatives - Did Jesus Teach Personal or Social Responsibility?: Separating the Sheep from the Goats, Based on Domestic Social Policy - Subsistence Programs

Matthew 25:31-46

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

"Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

[papau]

2. excellent point!

:-)

[NAO]

3. Thanks. Here is the complementary point: Jesus vs. the Social Cons

Jesus vs. The Social Conservatives - Culture Wars in the Time of Christ

Let Him Who Is Without Sin Condemn the First Gay

John 8:3-11

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Foreign Objects in the Eyes - Jesus Teaches Us How (and to Whom) to Apply Biblical Laws

Matthew 7:1-3

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

******************

Well, there you go. Those passages are so incredibly obvious, it boggles the mind how Christians can miss them so completely.

That they ALSO miss the point of the passage from Matthew 25 (Jesus vs. the Economic Conservatives) too is even more baffling!

And as if that were not enough - they are working to have the values agenda (which is nothing more than the condemning of others based on the Laws of Moses) built into the structure of government...but when you talk about building helping of the poor, feeding of the sick, they immediately launch into right wing talking points about how THAT is not the proper role of government, but should be left to private individuals and charities.

Now the words of Jesus quoted above indicate, beyond any doubt, that the exact opposite is correct in both cases. Adherence to the Laws of Moses SHOULD be left to private individuals and at most, the churches. We have been commanded by Jesus NOT to engage in the moral condemnation of others. Conversely, we have been commanded to feed, clothe and shelter those in need.

If Christians REALLY want a Christian nation, they should vote for a ban on condemning of sinners (unless of course you are 100% sin free, in which case feel free to blast them) and they should provide a MANDATE for social programs.

[jwirr]

4. My favorite verse:

"I did not comfort you that you might be comforted but that you might comfort others." When the billionaire thinks he/she has been blessed by God he/she should remember this verse.

[oecher3]

5. this is soo funny...

I got this in statement from a friend of mine last week.
She attached the whole statement from the EPISCOPAL CHURCH, USA to it, too so you can see where the excerpts are coming.
There is also an interesting new thread linked to this as well.
(Rev.) Jim Wallis: Bush budget lacks moral vision
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=114x14430 forgot the link


STATEMENT ON THE PRESIDENT’S FY’06 BUDGET February 7, 2005
BY THE MOST REV. FRANK T. GRISWOLD
PRESIDING BISHOP AND PRIMATE OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH, USA
The Presiding Bishop today offered the following commentary on President Bush’s FY’06 budget request:
In the life of our nation, one of the most concrete expressions of our shared moral values and priorities is
the federal budget. In examining whether a budget properly reflects America’s values, the Church is
called to ask the following questions:
• Is the budget compassionate? Jesus tells his followers to “be compassionate, as your Heavenly
Father is compassionate.” But compassion is just an abstraction unless we make it real in our lives. A
compassionate nation must use its common resources not just for matters like security and national
defense, but also to respond to the Gospel command to care for the least among us.
• Does the budget strive to serve the human family, both at home and around the world? Our nation
is part of a community that stretches beyond our borders. This gives us an imperative to use our
common resources to combat poverty, disease, injustice, and instability wherever they occur, but
most of all in places where the need is greatest.
• Does the budget serve the common good? Jesus tells us that “from everyone to whom much has
been given, much will be required.” While we hear a great deal in the secular world about creating
an “ownership society,” the ethic of Christian stewardship teaches us that the resources we possess
are God’s alone, merely held in trust by human hands. In a nation of such immense prosperity, our
budget must seek to use our resources not just for our own good, but broadly for the good of the
entire human family.
While there are some areas in President Bush’s budget that give me hope, I am deeply disheartened by
others. As Congress begins its budget deliberations and the Administration negotiates with them,
there are a number of areas I hope they will consider anew. In particular, I am concerned that this
budget neglects and exacerbates our nation’s healthcare crisis, especially for children and seniors, and
fails to honor the commitments our nation has made to combating poverty and disease overseas. Such
a budget is not a reflection of the compassionate values of our nation, nor of the Gospel’s command to
care for the least among us.
HEALTHCARE
Forty-five million Americans today lack access to quality and affordable health care, an increase of five
million over the past three years. This budget exacerbates the problem by recommending deep cuts in
Medicaid, of which the most bruising impact of these cuts will fall upon the neediest in our midst: the
poor, children, senior citizens, and the disabled and states will be hard-pressed to make up the difference.
If our federal budget is to reflect the values of the American people, it must better care for the neediest
among us.
POVERTY AND DISEASE ABROAD
Two years ago, I warmly applauded the President’s call for $15 billion to combat HIV/AIDS overseas and
his creation of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) to combat poverty and instability around the
world. These are areas of deep concern for me, especially as I consider the plight of our 27 million
Anglican brothers and sisters who live in sub-Saharan Africa. While I am gratified to see that both
program areas received small increases over last year’s funding levels, I am concerned that they continue
to fall short of the commitments the President has made. In particular, I am troubled that the budget, for
the second time in two years, significantly cuts the U.S. contribution to the Global Fund to fight AIDS,
Tuberculosis and Malaria and funds the MCA at just 60% of its promised level. These figures are
particularly problematic when viewed alongside the budget’s other cuts in foreign-aid programs. As the
President has observed in the past, our nation’s efforts to combat poverty and disease abroad are not just
a matter of humanitarian obligation, but a necessity in building a more secure and stable world.
AID FOR THE PALESTINIANS
One area of the budget that gives me hope is the provision of $150 million in aid to the Palestinian people.
It is my sincere prayer that this is a signal that the United States has re-committed itself to helping to lead
a political process to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At this unique moment of opportunity, the vision
of a two-state solution is coming back into focus, giving me hope that Palestinians and Israelis may both
soon live in freedom and security.
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