The Budget and the Damage Done

[Sapphire Blue]

Hundreds of thousands of Americans depend on government funding for food, shelter, medicine and childcare. Rose Aguilar profiles three people who stand to lose the most from Bush's newest budget proposal....

The Budget and the Damage Done
By Rose Aguilar, AlterNet. Posted March 22, 2006.

The 2006 budget clipped the wings of many organizations that provide basic services to the poor. Bush's 2007 budget could ground them permanently.

Every month, 80-year-old Sally Shaver pays someone to drive her to the Harvest Hope Food Bank in Columbia, S.C., to pick up a box of fresh produce, baked goods, dry cereals, juice, canned goods and cheese. "It really helps me out because after paying for my rent, phone bill and medication, I barely have enough for food," she says. "If I could work, I would, but I have an artificial knee and a pacemaker, and I can't get around."

Shaver, who worked as a nurse's aide for most of her life, brings in $451 a month in social security. Her fixed income qualifies her for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), which is designed to improve the health and nutrition of low-income senior citizens, pregnant women, postpartum mothers, infants and children.

Last year, CSFP provided 536,196 people with a monthly box of food. Bush's proposed budget for 2007 calls for a nationwide elimination of the entire program

Continued @ http://www.alternet.org/story/33808/

For more info on the FY 2007 Budget: http://www.chn.org

Take Action @ http://kamikaze.democracyinaction.org/chn/takeaction/index.html

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

1. In the meantime, $490 billion for "defense" - so far.

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Provides $439.3 billion for the Department of Defense’s base budget—a 7-percent increase over 2006 and a 48-percent increase over 2001—to maintain a high level of military readiness, develop and procure new weapon systems to ensure U.S. battlefield superiority, and support our servicemembers and their families;
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Requests $50 billion in 2007 bridge funding to support the military’s Global War on Terror efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq into 2007;
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Expands the Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle force from 12 to 21 orbits, each supporting 3-4 aircraft, to increase sustained 24-hour surveillance capabilities;
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Increases substantially the size and capabilities of the Special Operations Command;
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Adds $173.3 million to continue developing and refining a New Triad of smaller nuclear forces, enhanced missile defenses, and improved command and control; and
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Provides an additional 2.2-percent increase in basic pay

[Sapphire Blue]

2. Death & destruction by bombs & starvation. Criminal.

Please see the "Take Action" link in the OP!

[EFerrari]

4. I'm confused. This doesn't count all those supplementals

does it? I mean, is there a way to know how much "defense" is actually getting?

I hate these people.

[flamin lib]

11. Rumsfeld has admitted that the Defense Department cannot

account for 25% of its spending. Over the last decade it has misplaced $1.3 Trillion.

[EFerrari]

3. Kick

Why does this lady have to eat anyway? Didn't she get a tax cut? :mad:

[Sapphire Blue]

5. Sally Shaver's story is heartbreaking... as are the other two...

... profiles: http://www.alternet.org/story/33808/

... and these are only three stories of those who are suffering under the current administration.

Please take action @ http://kamikaze.democracyinaction.org/chn/takeaction/index.html

[EFerrari]

6. Will do! I see it all over the homeless community here

as well in the accelerating erosion of what we used to call our public health system.

[EFerrari]

7. Has this been cross posted to the Activist HQ?

:kick:

[Sapphire Blue]

8. Just posted it there...

FY 2007 Budget Cuts... please take action!: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=106x27361

[EFerrari]

12. Great. I'm writing into a deadline but I'll kick you, Sapphire.

:hi:

[Nutmegger]

9. But we have money for bombs and "war" and death

Sad. :cry:

Thank you for this.

This needs a :kick:and a:thumbsup:!!!

[lonestarnot]

10. Took action on the action link! Thanks K & R!

[Sapphire Blue]

13. Thank you, lonestarnot!!!

:hi:

[lonestarnot]

14. My pleasure in life for the moment!

:hi:

[godhatesrepublicans]

15. the Repubs are trying to destroy what makes America great

I wish Gore or Kerry had had the stones to ask GW "Why do you hate America?" in the debates. It's so obvious the man and his people hate EVERYTHING about this country that ever was right.

[EFerrari]

16. kick

[Sapphire Blue]

17. kick for action!

http://kamikaze.democracyinaction.org/chn/takeaction/index.html :kick: