CA Budget and Isaiah (w/ great comment from Jason below)
The following is a verse I have been thinking about and the CA budget:Isaiah 1: 16-18, 23
Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. 'Come now, let us reason together,' says the LORD. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow's case does not come before them.'"
"Details of Calif.'s proposed social service cuts
— Eliminating California's version of the welfare-to-work program known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. The move would save the state $1.3 billion in the coming fiscal year by taking away cash assistance and job training for 546,000 families.
— Ending Healthy Families, California's version of the federal government's State Children's Health Insurance Program, which is designed for children from families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid but too low to afford private insurance. An estimated 1 million children would be affected. The Schwarzenegger administration says ending the program will save California more than $300 million in the new fiscal year.
— Eliminating home care for 404,000 elderly and disabled residents, maintaining care for only 60,000 of the most frail under the In-Home Supportive Services program. The Schwarzenegger administration estimated a savings of $537 million.
— Lowering the maximum amount the state is willing to contribute to its share of caregiver wages from $10.10 an hour to $8.60 under the In-Home Supportive Services program, to save $124 million. Wages are paid using a combination of local, state and federal money and vary by county. Counties can continue paying caretakers above the $8.60 rate by using local and federal money. About 60 percent of caregivers are relatives of recipients, according to the state Department of Social Services. — Reducing child welfare services by 10 percent for a $70 million savings. The state has about 77,000 foster children, some placed with relatives and some with foster family agencies or group homes. The state would target foster family agencies and group homes for the cuts. — Reducing the contribution to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, which provides treatment and prevention for those with HIV/AIDS, by $55.5 million. — Phasing out college-fee assistance for a $173 million savings."
Some questions:
Could cuts come from anywhere else than the backs of the poor? (Prisons? Bureaucrats salaries?)
What about raising of taxes? What does scripture say about taxes?
- What does scripture say about the poor, elderly, disabled, etc.?
- What can you/I do to help?
These budget cuts are a terrible idea. You can't train generations upon generations to depend on the government then pull the rug right out from under their feet. I am all for the church taking care of the widows, orphans and strangers, but it seems that we gave up that vision for ourselves so long ago.
ReplyDeleteMaybe this is a great opportunity for the people of G-d to shine, to refect G-d properly to the world. Maybe this is what we need to shock us out of our comfortable "Christian" lives.
One thing I am convinced of though. This society will rip itself limb from limb if these cuts go through and the good in people doesn't step itself up 10 fold.
G-d forgive us for living so lavishly. G-d forgive us for exchanging Your truth for the lie of upward mobility. For passing by on the other side while our brothers and sisters are dying of things we could easily fix. If only we had the excuse of Sabbath.