What would Jesus cut?

[Jenna]

A coalition of progressive Christian leaders has taken out a full-page ad that asks “What would Jesus cut?” in Monday’s edition of Politico, the opening salvo in what the leaders say will be a broader campaign to prevent cuts for the poor and international aid programs amid the budget battle raging in Washington.
“They’re talking about cutting bed nets for malaria and leaving every piece of military spending untouched,” said the Rev. Jim Wallis, who leads the Christian group Sojourners, referring to Republican spending proposals for the rest of this year.
“Are we saying that every piece of military equipment is more important than bed nets, children’s health and nutrition for low-income families?” said Wallis, whose group paid for Monday’s ad. “If so they should be ashamed of themselves.”
The ad and the broader campaign are aimed mostly at a spending measure passed by the Republican-led House of Representatives that cuts $61 billion from current spending levels, including cuts to Head Start, the Women Infants and Children (WIC) program and international aid programs.
But the leaders are also lobbying the Obama administration to forego proposed cuts to programs like college grants and heating assistance to low-income Americans in the 2012 federal budget.

More here:
New budget campaign asks 'What would Jesus cut?' – CNN Belief Blog - CNN.com Blogs

[tweakerseeker]

Military spending is a necessity. We have to be able to adequately defend our homeland and international interests. Just curious, how many bed nets are used in the United States? I am all for spending the tax money of the American taxpayer on things that benefit the American taxpayer. WIC, while a good program, is not just available to American citizens. Illegal immigrants have found loopholes that allow them to receive assistance. This has caused the cost of the program to go through the roof. Perhaps they are limiting the access of unqualified people, thereby lowering the cost and reducing the amount needing to be budgeted to this program. I certainly don't want to see ANY child go without food on American soil, but it pisses me off to no end to see someone whip out the WIC coupons to pay for breakfast and a platinum card to buy the beer and smokes. In a country as rich as the US, social welfare is absolutely necessary, but it needs to be much more tightly controlled.

And don't get me started on disability. In the last year I have seen a family member get denied disability benefits even though they were missing limbs, and I've met folks who told me they got it for high blood pressure, social anxiety, and ADHD! WTF!

I have to stop! I'm getting pissed off and my blood pressure is going up and I have to go to work...or do I?

[pgg]

How about this. Let's cut all the touchy feely be nice programs, cut our taxes, and then let people themselves be responsible for their own lives. So if someone spends all their money on dope and can't eat. Tough shit.

[tweakerseeker]

How about this. Let's cut all the touchy feely be nice programs, cut our taxes, and then let people themselves be responsible for their own lives. So if someone spends all their money on dope and can't eat. Tough shit.

If I could throw you some rep on that I would! I quess I haven't built up enough of my own yet, though.

[Xiphos]

Jesus never commanded forced charity through government coercion. He called individuals to make sacrifices to help the poor. For most of our history, churches provided food banks, clothes, and medical care for the indigent. Funded by parishioners. That's the way it should be.

[MacLean]

There is no such thing as a progressive Christian.

That's like a Catholic Democrat.

[Xiphos]

That's like a Catholic Democrat.

Way too many of those. Of course they mainly ignore the Catholic part.

[MacLean]

Way too many of those. Of course they mainly ignore the Catholic part.

You would have to ignore the Catholic part, it's implicit.

[pac201]

If I could throw you some rep on that I would! I quess I haven't built up enough of my own yet, though.

I got your back...

[213th]

We are not a Theocratic society. If we were, then I could see a point.

[Car 4]

Reagan said that we are the last best hope for the world. I believe that and if we want to continue to be the light of the world, we must insure that we survive as a people and as a country.

But Christ also said, "That which you do for the least of my brothers, you do also for me". Not much doubt about what he meant, is there? We have to find a way to prosper as a nation without losing our soul.....


Car 4

[Odd]

Early Reagan use of "last, best hope" : Interesting to apply this speech from nearing a half century ago to today.



Text of the speech if you prefer it : link

We've been talking about what to cut for that half century or more: are we going to do something about it?

[IMGreat101]

Jesus would have hopped a boat to a resort in Greece to avoid the vote.



I am all for making people that are physically able, do community service (40 hours/week) to earn an EBT card. That includes their dependent children that are eligible to work. They should also be required to do UA to be eligible.