Faith Leaders Bring Fair Budget Message to Binghamton, Cortland, Utica
Leaders of faith communities in Central New York traveled in a caravan to Binghamton, Cortland and Utica today to speak out against the devastating federal budget cuts proposed by Vice Presidential Candidate Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and passed by the House of Representatives.
As faith leaders, those who participated in the tour have a unique awareness of the struggle facing working families across New York and the devastation that would be caused by proposals in the Romney-Ryan budget, including drastic cuts to services such as nutrition assistance, childhood education and job training that provide pathways out of poverty for millions of families.
“The Sisters of St. Joseph work tirelessly to help people in need,” said Sister Karen Gaube, CSJ of Sisters of St. Joseph in Windsor, NY. “The proposed cuts by Rep. Paul Ryan jeopardize the well being of the least amongst us. This is against our Catholic teaching.”
The Romney-Ryan budget slashes funding for Medicare, Medicaid, and programs that benefit working families each and every day. It would cut millions out of food assistance and other programs, with most of its spending cuts coming from programs that help those who need it the most. Combined, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid provide almost $130 billion in benefits to New Yorkers each year, helping our communities and our economy.
“The Mission and Deacons funds of churches are already being taxed by pleas for food, housing, utility help – we can’t take on paying for medical care with the changes proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan to end Medicare as we know it,” said Rev. Dr. Janet Adair Hansen of Christ Community Church of Cortland.
Faith leaders have joined together to say that there is an alternative. They have created the “Faithful Budget,” which they will be asking local members of Congress to consider as an alternative to the Romney-Ryan budget. The Faithful Budget promotes comprehensive and compassionate budget principles that helps lift the burden on the poor, rather than increasing it while shielding the wealthiest from any additional sacrifice.
“The Nuns on the Bus movement focuses attention on the enormous moral choices facing our country,” said Sister Donald Corcoran, Transfiguration Monastery, Windsor, NY. “Do we choose to be a nation of individualism and fear where the rich get richer at the expense of those in need? Or do we reclaim the principles of our founders and work together for all the people to form a more perfect union?”
“And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8). Our faith values tell us that we must care for struggling families, not make their lives harder in order to protect corporate profits,” said Gary Smith, Executive Director, MICAH of Cortland (Moving in Congregations Acting in Hope).
More information on The Faithful Budget is available at www.faithfulbudget.org.
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