Mainline Denominations Reject Proposed 2006 Fiscal Budget as “Unjust”
“The fiscal year 2006 budget proposed by the Bush Administration is unjust. For the most part this is a budget that ignores the needs of the poor, children and the elderly.” – NCC
Five of America’s mainline churches joined their voices Tuesday to denounce the Bush Administration’s 2006 budget proposal as “unjust”.
"For the most part this is a budget that ignores the needs of the poor, children and the elderly,” leaders from the Episcopal Church USA, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church, said in a joint statement during a press conference in Washington.
The denominations, all major members of the National Council of Churches USA, further called for a new budget proposal that would give priority to the “moral value of caring for society’s most weak and vulnerable members”, according to NCC.
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One such budget would be the “72+5=A Better Budget for America” plan, which was proposed by the faithfulamerica.org – the NCC’s online political advocacy group - the same day.
The 72+5 campaign notes that in the Bush Administration’s proposed budget, 72 percent of the tax cuts would benefit the wealthiest one-fifth cohort in the American population. It similarly notes that only 5 percent of the tax cuts would benefit the poorest two-fifths of Americans.
The campaign thus asks concerned Christians to give “72 seconds of your time” and “5 of your friends to help” gather 72,000 signatures petitioning for a “higher vision for our nation’s budget.”
The mainstay of President Bush’s proposed fiscal plan is $100 billion in tax cuts for the next five years. Supporters of his proposed plan believe significant tax cuts would stimulate the economy by providing greater incentives for individuals to work.
The following is the entire text of the statement released by the NCC’s Associate General Secretary for Justice and Advocacy, the Rev. Brenda Girton-Mitchell, at Tuesday’s five-denomination news conference:
The National Council of Churches USA stands in solidarity with five of our member denominations - The Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Presbyterian Church (USA), United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church - in declaring that the fiscal year 2006 budget proposed by the Bush Administration is unjust. For the most part this is a budget that ignores the needs of the poor, children and the elderly.
As Christians we are called to speak out against injustice. Jesus told us by his words and actions that we are to bring good news to the poor, feed those who are hungry, clothe those who are naked, care for the sick and visit those who are imprisoned. Our faith compels us to stand boldly and firmly against a budget that cuts programs such as food stamps, Medicaid, veteran's health services and other human services in order to support military might, war spending and tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, as well as to undergird the costs of a projected $427 billion deficit.
Instead we propose a budget that reflects the words of the prophet Micah "to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8). That means that the federal budget that is approved should provide the poor, families and communities with the tools to meet their basic needs such as access to nutritious food and quality child care, accessible and affordable housing, comprehensive and affordable health care, a fair and just tax system and a liveable income.
In his State of the Union speech, President Bush said that a "society is measured by how it treats the weak and vulnerable" and that "one of the deepest values of our country is compassion." The National Council of Churches USA strongly urges Congress to develop and pass a revised budget - one that cares for the weak and vulnerable and is just, compassionate and truly reflects the moral values of our nation.
