A Moral Disgrace (Jim Wallis response to budget proposal)

[Ian David]

Note to readers: Early this morning, the House of
Representatives narrowly passed a budget proposal (217-215)
that, if enacted, would make severe cuts to our nation's most
vital anti-poverty programs like food stamps, Medicaid, and
child care. The margin was small because of your prayers, phone
calls, e-mails, and letters to the editor. Thank you. In the
coming weeks, the budget will face a House-Senate negotiation,
followed by separate votes in each chamber. We will continue to
raise our voices to demand justice for the poorest among us.
**************************************************************************************

Jim Wallis says "Woe to you legislators of infamous laws....."
in response to the narrow passage of the House Budget
Reconciliation Bill.

Washington, D.C. ------(Friday, November 18, 2005) Jim Wallis,
founder of Sojourners and Convener of Call to Renewal, made the
following statement today on the narrow passage of the House
Budget Reconciliation Bill.

STATEMENT BY JIM WALLIS:

The prophet Isaiah said: "Woe to you legislators of infamous
laws ... who refuse justice to the unfortunate, who cheat the
poor among my people of their rights, who make widows their prey
and rob the orphan." Today, I repeat those words. When our
legislators put ideology over principle, it is time to sound the
trumpets of justice and tell the truth.

It is a moral disgrace to take food from the mouths of hungry
children to increase the luxuries of those feasting at a table
overflowing with plenty. This is not what America is about, not
what the season of Thanksgiving is about, not what loving our
neighbor is about, and not what family values are about. There
is no moral path our legislators can take to defend a reckless,
mean-spirited budget reconciliation bill that diminishes our
compassion, as Jesus said, "for the least of these." It is
morally unconscionable to hide behind arguments for fiscal
responsibility and government efficiency. It is dishonest to
stake proud claims to deficit reduction when tax cuts for the
wealthy that increase the deficit are the next order of
business. It is one more example of an absence of morality in
our current political leadership.

Budgets are moral documents that reflect what we care about.
Budget and tax bills that increase the deficit put our
children's futures in jeopardy - and they hurt the vulnerable
right now. The choice to cut supports that help people make it
day to day in order to pay for tax cuts for those with plenty
goes against everything our religious and moral principles teach
us. It says that leaders don't care about people in need. It is
a blatant reversal of biblical values - and symbolizes the death
of compassionate conservatism.

The faith community is outraged and is drawing a line in the
sand against immoral national priorities. It is time to draw
that line more forcefully and more visibly.

I applaud those House members who have stood up for better
budget priorities and fought hard all year to keep issues of
basic fairness at the forefront of this debate. And I thank
those on both sides of the aisle who stood up and did the right
thing in voting against this bill, despite pressure from the
House leadership. These strong voices provide some hope for
getting beyond an ideology that disregards the role of
government for the common good.

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[texpatriot2004]

1. "When you do it unto the least of these you do it unto me" - nm

[stray cat]

2. I reject the Repubs moral values: robbing from the poor

to enrich the rich.

[acmejack]

3. I attached it to the nastiest letter I have ever written to a legislator

And sent it to my piece of dirt, Lamar Smith. The little shit doesn't even have the courage to A) meet with us, B) have a town meeting withing 20 miles of our location.

[ashling]

4. He used to be my piece of Schmidt Rep. too,

till Tommy D. and his crew gave us Mike Conaway.