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United Methodist Women: Assembly Action

A Budget for Justice: Make a Money Transfer for the Least of These

"But we refuse to believe that the bank of Justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are Insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we come to cash this check - a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and security and Justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy." -      Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have A Dream, 1963

Background:

A speaker once noted that "America has the potential to be a wondrous and great nation but that will never be true as long we forget the command that whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me." When a nation cuts its budget for the poor by over $50 million and gives nearly $60 million in tax cuts to the rich and women, children and families are told the federal budget has insufficient funds to care for them, we must Act. We must Act because we believe that every individual is valued and that God is in every person; we are mutually obligated to each other. We must Act to fund an education system in which every child is given a chance to reach their divine potential and destiny. We must Act to ensure adequate funds protect our national parks and restore and clean-up the earth by increasing the current 4% of the budget allocated for the environment. The 2005 budget cut the Environmental Protection Agency's resources by 8.9%.

While 70% of the world's poor are women, U.S. funding for basic development is expected to fall short of last year's levels by about $100 million. We must Act to help women and girls around the world "free themselves from poverty." The U.S. contribution to foreign aid is only 0.14% of Gross National Income (GNI), less than the .7% encouraged by the global community. We must Act to fund books instead of bullets, health care instead of corporate welfare. In public education, K-12 programs lose nearly $1.2 billion in 2006 compared with 2005 funding, according to the Environmental Working Group. The working group estimated that two-thirds of federal crop subsidies go to the wealthiest 10% of agricultural businesses. We need a budget that justly shares our common economic resources.

More than 30% of the federal budget is composed of discretionary spending that requires annual approval for its appropriation.These funds could be reallocated for human needs.We need a budget that focuses on caring for people rather than arming for destruction and violence. Will you Act to reduce our military spending? Will you Act to guarantee a national budget with sufficient funds to nurture women, families and communities?

Action:

Rise up in power! Be a prophetic voice of justice. Jesus came to establish a "New Covenant." As disciples of Christ, we challenge our leaders to create a "New Covenant" with the American people. We call for a national budget with sufficient funds to affirm the dignity of women, children and their families while ensuring defense and security.

Urge Congress to Make a Money Transfer in the U.S. Budget.

Call Congress at (202) 224-3121. Tell your Representative and Senators that you want a "Budget for Justice". Complete the attached Money Transfer and drop it in the collection boxes as you exit the Assembly Hall.

Respond online or mail your action form.

Print and fill out the PDF form and mail it to: The Washington Office of Public Policy of the Women's Division/United Methodist Women, 100 Maryland Avenue NE, Suite 503 - Washington, DC 20002 (Tel. 202-488-5600)

For more information on The United Methodist Church positions, read the Book of Resolutions 2004 and refer to resolution 227,"Enabling Financial Support for Domestic Programs"on pages 572-573 and the Social Principles on pages 37-67.

Notes

  1. The Rev. Dr. Michael Louis Pfleger, Washington, DC, January 22, 2006.
  2. The Federal Budget Process, Action Alert, Women's Division Washington Office of Public Policy. February 2003.
  3. President Bush's Budget: What Is He Proposing for the World's Women? Women's EDGE Coalition. http://www.womensedge.org/pages/referencematerials/reference_material.jsp?id=36 3
  4. Ibid.
  5. Sherman, Arloc and Richard Kogan. What Do the Across-the-Board Cuts Mean for Domestic Appropriations? Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. January 06, 2006. http://www.cbpp.org/12-8-05bud2.htm
  6. Gill, Kathy. Editorial Comment on the Bush Budget. Feb. 2005 http://uspolitics.about.com/od/politicalcommentary/a/05_bush_budget.htm
  7. Where Your Income Tax Money Really Goes. www.wrl.org