Bush Budget is Bad News for the Poor

NETWORK writes….

Write your Representative and Senators to share with them your grave
concerns about the Administration’s proposed FY 04 budget. The House and
Senate will begin work on their budget resolutions, the blueprint for
spending. Members of Congress must hear from constituents as they work
to
shape the budget plan and priorities. A new letter is available at – http://www.networklobby.org/iraq-main.htm#actions
enter
your zip code under the “Elected Officials” headline and choose the
letter
on Budget As a Moral Document.

President Bush presented his budget as having a four percent increase
for
discretionary programs. However, after defense, homeland security and
few
other select programs receive increases, all other programs get an
increase
of one-half of one percent above 2002 levels. Adjusting for inflation,
this
figure is down 4.8 percent. (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)
Thus,
many domestic programs fail to keep pace with demand given growth in
population and expected inflation. This budget plan reflects a
far-reaching effort to dramatically change the federal government’s
relationship with people who are poor. The proposed changes to
anti-poverty
programs have the potential to radically undermine the social safety
net.
The proposals give control of social services to the states, reduce the
funding of some programs, and require more proof that people are
eligible
for help. While the President is seeking huge tax cuts mainly for
people
who are wealthy, he is potentially squeezing social spending for years
to
come.

The above links provides smaple letters for a range of topics affecting the poor.