Advocacy Letter
Source: Edward W. Stowe III, Senior Legislative Secretary, FCNL
Recipient: All U.S. Senators
Date: 10/18/05
Dear Senator,
People across the country responded with compassion and generosity to the suffering and devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the federal government is playing a key role assisting state and local governments to help residents get back on their feet. These responses reflect the best of our nation's values: compassion, justice, fairness, and basic respect for human dignity. Americans believe in caring for one another in times of need.
Clearly, the American people look to the federal government for leadership after disasters such as these. They want the federal government to respond quickly, humanely, fairly, efficiently, effectively, and with public accountability. And, polls show they are willing to pay for it.
Yet, now some in Congress say they want to pay for disaster relief by cutting programs that serve the basic human needs of the poorest and most vulnerable people in rest of the country.
At the same time, these same members of Congress are calling for giving more than $70 billion in tax cuts primarily to the wealthiest few who have benefitted the most in recent years.
This, despite recent Census reports showing growing economic disparity between rich and poor, an increasing poverty rate, more people without health insurance, and declining median incomes.
This, while scarcely touching the almost half trillion dollar military budget, which is almost as much as the rest of the world spends on all other militaries combined.
And this, while charging about $6 billion per month to future generations for the unwinnable wars in Iraq and Afghanistan which have undermined security at home and abroad.
The public is certainly not calling for sacrificing programs that serve the poor, protect the environment, educate the disadvantaged, or promote public health and safety to pay for hurricane relief. Most Americans would support hurricane relief in addition to these other important programs.
We at FCNL urge you to reject: spending cuts for those who need help the most; tax cuts for those who need it the least; more military spending to line industry coffers; and wars that undermine our security. These policies do not reflect the best values of our nation.
Sincerely
Edward (Ned) W. Stowe III
Senior Legislative Secretary
