Editorial:
The $38-billion spending cut package that was agreed to by the Democrats, Republicans, and Obama, a deal that passed both Houses Thursday, and will be sent to President Obama for his signature, is a deal that no one is happy about. But that is the art of compromise you have to give a little something to get back something!
The Conservatives did not get the $100 billion in reductions they wanted nor were they able to defund the healthcare overhaul law and Planned Parenthood.
Democrats and White House officials acceded to deep cuts in programs for the poor, law enforcement, the environment and civic projects to reach a budget deal that averted a federal government shutdown.
The budget cuts that Progressive Democrats had to accept included a $500-million reduction in funding for the federal health and nutrition program for women, infants and children, known as WIC. Community health centers will lose $600 million, depriving 5 million low-income Americans of access to basic health services.
These and other cuts will, once again, focus on the voiceless in our society who do not have the political clout to stand up to these cuts.
At the same time perhaps we can learn from those who look to the government for a little help.
This week the wife of our editor spent time with members of her church by volunteering to serve dinner to the hungry at South Bay Community Services.
The menu was chicken, rice with beans, salad, sauce, bread and for desert brownies. The dinner went fine and there was food enough for seconds, a couple of men came back for seconds appearing to save the food for later. Towards the end of dinner a couple of ladies came and there was only rice with beans, topped with sauce, and salad. The two men saw that the ladies had no chicken so they got up and gave them their chicken that they had planned to save.
In the United States this is how it is supposed to work, those with more, with excess, are supposed to reach out and help those in need. At the same time this tells a lot about the two who unselfishly gave up what would have been their next day’s meal.
With our budget cuts focused on the poor, on the community services, we should be asking ourselves what this says about our nation where we fight to protect the wealthy and major corporations while we balance the budget on the backs of the poor.
Defending the poor and standing up for their rights should be the right thing do, instead of them being painted as bad for America that the Conservatives have been so aptly capable of doing while fighting off tax increase, or even a vote in California. Progressive Democrats have been absent in this fight. It has gotten to the point where our children’s education is at the sacrificial table in lieu of taxing the rich.
The poor and the low-income need a champion to press their cause and stand up for their needs. This is the role that the Progressive Democrats need to take on. They need to be the ones that are willing to share their last chicken with those less fortunate.