***** BUDGET TIME ***** SEIZE THE MOMENT - AND THE PHONE - FOR HUMAN NEEDS! March 15 - March 20

[Sapphire Blue]

From the Coalition on Human Needs (http://www.chn.org)

SEIZE THE MOMENT - AND THE PHONE - FOR HUMAN NEEDS!

It's Federal Budget Decision Time -

If you call, Congress will do better for human needs.

If you don't, they won't.


Call Thursday, March 15 - Tuesday, March 20


Use the toll-free number, 800-459-1887, to tell your Rep. and Senators:

"Please work to pass a budget resolution that includes $450 billion in domestic appropriations to meet our pressing needs and that will cover all eligible children in the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), expand and improve Food Stamps, and restore funds to collect child support. The new budget resolution should at least allow us to begin to meet our nation's needs - for education, housing, employment, child care, Head Start, care for older Americans and other vital services."


Why is this such an important time to call? The House and Senate Budget Committees are now creating the spending outline that will determine whether the pie is big enough to provide adequate funding for human needs. If the total for domestic spending is set too low, all the programs that help people and communities are at risk. And there are real openings for genuine advances to serve more people - but only if members of Congress hear from you about why it matters.


Want to know more about why the upcoming budget decisions matter so much? Take a look at this explanation by CHN's Deborah Weinstein on TomPaine.com: http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2007/03/06/undoing_bushs_budget_priorities.php
And for a page with a national and 50 state-specific reports about what's at stake: http://chn.org/statereports.html


About our message: The Coalition on Human Needs has joined with the Emergency Campaign for America's Priorities (ECAP) in supporting $450 billion for domestic appropriations in the 2008 budget. That number would undo cuts since 2005 and allow more people to be served, or served better: real progress. When you call, you don't necessarily have to mention every service listed - we hope you'll mention at least a few, but feel free to emphasize issues of particular concern to you. Call any day that's convenient - but you may want to join with groups around the country who are focusing their efforts on specific days:

Thursday, March 15: Children and Youth
Friday, March 16: Workers
Monday, March 19: Education
Tuesday, March 20: Housing and Nutrition

Use the toll-free number above to reach the U.S. Capitol Switchboard and ask to be connected to your Representative's and Senators' offices. (The person at the switchboard can figure out who your Representative is if you're not sure).

The toll-free number is provided courtesy of the American Friends Service Committee. AFSC welcomes groups to circulate and use the toll-free number in support of non-partisan budget goals and without linking the alert to a website soliciting donations or actions which may be used to support partisan lobbying or work.
==============================================
Please forward this e-mail!

If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for CHN emails at http://www.chn.org/signUp.jsp.

Please call your Rep & Senators!

Thank you!
Sapphire Blue
Resident DU Fanatic Beggar

:hug: :loveya: :grouphug: :grouphug: :loveya: :hug:

[Cerridwen]

1. You're back!

Thank heavens. K & R and see http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=366078">this thread to understand what I'm talking about...if you don't already.

[Sapphire Blue]

3. Hi, Cerridwen!

:hi: :hug: Thanks so much for the K&R (& the link to the other thread :grouphug:)!

[Cerridwen]

5. Glad to help out.

:D

I'll kick it back up, if it needs it, when I get home this afternoon.

Keep up the good work!

:hi:

:hug:

[mntleo2]

2. Thanks For the Heads Up Sapphire!

Cat In Seattle

[Sapphire Blue]

4. You are very welcome, mntleo2!

:hi:

[mntleo2]

23. Another Morning Kick!

...from Cat In Seattle because we need to get this message out pronto!

:kick: :kick:

Cat

[Sapphire Blue]

25. Thanks, mntleo2!

:hi: :hug:

[EFerrari]

6. K&R! Let's keep this kicked, folks!

:hug:
:grouphug:


:kick:

[Sapphire Blue]

7. Thank you, sfexpat2000!

:hi: :hug: :loveya:

[EFerrari]

8. Thank you, Sapphire Blue!

:hi:

:loveya:

[EFerrari]

9. Kickers

[EFerrari]

10. Kick

[Solly Mack]

11. It's YOU!!!!

whew...

:)

[Sapphire Blue]

14. ..

:hi: :hug:

[Booster]

12. A hearty kick for another great post - oh, and a K&R too.

[EFerrari]

13. Thank you.

:hi:

[Sapphire Blue]

15. Thank you, spenbax!

:hi: :hug:

[Nutmegger]

16. R and K

I hope you're okay SB. I want to give you a :hug:.

[Sapphire Blue]

17. Thank you, Nutmegger!

:hi: :hug:

[Sydnie]

18. Happily

will make those calls in the AM. K&R and :hug: too.

[Sapphire Blue]

19. Thank you, Sydnie!

:hi: :hug:

[EFerrari]

20. Kick

[Sapphire Blue]

21. Thanks so much for kicking this, sfexpat2000!

:hi: :hug:

[EFerrari]

26. My pleasure!

:hi:

[Cerridwen]

22. Morning kick since I didn't make it back yesterday afternoon

and kick it then as I said I would.

Sorry, Sapphire Blue. I'm usually better about follow through.

:kick:

[Sapphire Blue]

24. Thanks, Cerridwen!

:hi: :hug:

[bobbolink]

27. Could we please make the BUDGET as important an issue as .....

Could we please make the BUDGET as important an issue as .....
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x396581

It would mean so much to poor folk if there were billboards, big newpaper ads, much talk in churches, etc., about how the budget affects the lives of us who are struggling just to stay alive!

We are forgotten, and put at the bottom of every priority list.

Could we PLEASE be taken seriously, before it's too late for us?

Huge cuts to Medicaid were made last year, because the budget received very little attention from "liberals". Must we now witness more homeless people because this budget will cut even more from low-income housing?

Just how many of us do you want to lose??

How many of us are you willing to have sacrificed?

The budget it a MORAL DOCUMENT!

Our lives must be as important as any other issue!

CALL!

WRITE!

SPEAK UP IN CHURCHES, TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY!

WRITE LTTEs!!

GET BILLBOARDS UP!

YOU CAN DECIDE IT'S IMPORTANT!

[Sapphire Blue]

29. You have said it so well, bobbolink! In the hope that some will actually HEAR you:

Please read this post: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x403804


:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:
:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:
:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:
:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:
:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:
:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

:hug: :loveya: :hug:

[EFerrari]

28. Kick

[hashibabba]

30. The poor, sick, young and elderly are really hurting in this country.

The Republicans don't care and are only interested in cutting these programs. They figure because these things don't touch them, that they're not worth fighting for. Please, Dems, we need to take care of people less fortunate than ourselves. Bush is cutting 161 programs in his FY 2008 budget. We can't allow this to happen. He's also making more cuts in Medicare and Medicaid.

We leave many of our hurting people out in the streets and in need. It's an abomination to have this happen in this rich country. We've all seen the rich get richer over the past several years. Isn't it time for them to help their fellow man? For US to help our fellow man? The churches can't or won't do it.

Here is just some what Bush is going to do to the underpriviledged in our country:
http://www.chn.org/pdf/2007/bushbudget08.pdf
Here's one for how your individual state is faring:
http://chn.org/statereports.html
And this whole page is an eye-opener:
http://www.chn.org/budgettraining.html

He claims he doesn't need Congress to push his budget plans through.

PLEASE don't forget to call your rep. and senators. Even middle class Americans are starting to need these programs more and more as this administration wears on. A bigger poor class means we need more money, not less.


Edited for URL

[Sapphire Blue]

31. "They figure because these things don't touch them, that they're not worth fighting for."

This can be said about a lot of people.

Could it be why people can't seem to be bothered to pick up the phone & call their Senators & Reps?

Do we really need to go through another Great Depression for people to finally care???

[hashibabba]

32. It really is criminal Sapphire Blue! I just am beside myself,

I'm so angry about this president. And I'm also annoyed with Congress! I'll be making my calls and writing more letters in the next several days, you can take that to the bank! Everybody who takes action helps this cause a little bit more. Poverty is rampant in this country. It must be stopped NOW. We don't need more tax cuts for the damned rich people in America! We need to stem the tide of the ever-increasing "lower" class in this country!

:mad: :banghead:

[Sapphire Blue]

33. During the last budget battle, Jim Wallis & other religious activists were arrested...

... on the steps of the Cannon House Office Building...


http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=action.display_c&item=051214_arrests

They were protesting the proposed budget cuts. Wallis referred to the budget as a 'moral document'. Lo & behold, (Democratic) members of Congress heard Wallis, and they began calling the budget a 'moral document'... right there on the House floor, Nancy Pelosi & others called the budget a "moral document".

Imagine what would happen if we all picked up the phone & called them, if we emailed them, if we wrote letters to them, if we met with them. Congress does hear... but we need to speak out in order for them to hear us.

[bobbolink]

34. "Do we really need to go through another Great Depression for people to finally care???"

To put it succinctly---

YES.

:cry:

[Jcrowley]

35. We are at a point

where mass movements that prevent government from operating as usual are imperative.

Until the US Military is defunded and those monies are put to human needs all conversations and solutions go nowhere. And there is only one way that that is going to happen and it means being in the streets in sustained actions that shake DC to it's core.

Everyone has a role.

[bobbolink]

36. I agree so much---do you know how much it would mean to me,

and the rest of us poor folk, to see MASS DEMONSTRATIONS for poverty???!

We feel completely abandoned by the liberals!

It would mean so much to us!

[Cleita]

37. This needs a

:kick:

[peekaloo]

38. kick

:kick:

[silverojo]

39. MEGA-kick!

Please man those phones, people!!

[calimary]

40. Back up to the top with ye!

A VERY good reason to chew on their asses.

I STILL say I know where we can get 100-thousand bucks A MINUTE...

[hfojvt]

oh boy, budgets

I got a few reports from CBPP

"As Congress prepares a budget resolution that will (among other things) set funding limits for discretionary programs for fiscal year 2008, it is appropriate to examine funding trends for these programs in the context of the nation’s overall budgetary situation.
Both as a share the economy and as a share of the budget, funding for domestic discretionary programs has declined since 2001. CBO data also show that domestic discretionary programs have played only a marginal role in the return of deficits. Furthermore, virtually all long-term budget projections show that domestic discretionary programs are expected to have no role in the fiscal deterioration projected in coming decades."

http://www.cbpp.org/3-13-07bud.htm

[Nutmegger]

41. Early morning KICK!

:kick:

[hashibabba]

42. Just a kick to remind people what an important issue this is!

Please call your rep. and senators today. The underprivileged people in this country need your help. Don't sit idly by and let Bush slash all these programs to help the less fortunate, while cutting taxes for the richest people in this country.

Thanking you in advance. :hi:

[CrispyQ]

43. Kick

Thank you! I will call! And I will send this to others with the phone & fax of their congress members.

CQG

[bobbolink]

46. Thank you so much for sending this to others!!

I appreciate that so much!

:hug:

[hashibabba]

44. Here are other House and Senate sites to contact your congressmen.

http://www.house.gov/

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

If you can't call them for whatever reason, please write to them this week!

If you take a look at the URLs provided on this thread, you'll see just how extensive the Bush slashes in funding are. We already have children going to bed hungry at night in the U.S. Are we going to sit back and let this administration make this problem even worse?

What about the victims of Katrina? They're still in trouble and this country isn't doing anything to help them! What if your town is next? What will the government do for you if your location is devastated by storms, earthquakes, fire?

These cuts will also effect our soldiers and vets who won't be able to get affordable housing, food stamps for their families, etc. We're already stomping all over them, how much more can they take?

I'm not willing to go down without a fight. What about you?

[Tsiyu]

45. Kicking and calling

:kick:

[Tsiyu]

47. Kick it

kick it good :kick:

[Tsiyu]

48. Take a few moments to help the less fortunate

You will be glad you did.

Thank you.

:kick:

[faithnotgreed]

49. kicking for sapphire blue and EVERYONE with love

[AliceWonderland]

50. Kicking for an important issue! n/t