In the past, the disabled, the elderly, the children of its poorest families and the homeless and others in need turned to the rest of us for a helping hand, and often through our government we reached back to help them.
But today, with state and local governments slashing expenses, and the federal government claiming it's going to, that lifeline is fraying. But at the federal level, the priority is massively funding wars and the military industrial war machine, while looking to cut back Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, veteran's benefits and support for state social services. Weapons of mass destruction, fighter jets, drones, ships, tanks and every other weapon are in plentiful supply. But vital social programs are facing the guillotine.
In California for example, Cynde Soto a quadriplegic, fears the next cut in her benefits, her cash assistance already cut four times in the last two years. The in home care she desperately needs has been cut by 20 minutes a day.*
What kind of a nation does this to its most vulnerable people? We have money to bail out giant banks, money for wars, tax breaks for huge oil companies and for our wealthiest citizens but increasingly those most in need are left to pay the greatest price.
Dick
* "State shaves funds for health, social services," Los Angeles Times http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-safety-net-20110731,0,2121195.story For more examples, please see "Needy elderly will pay fthe price for cuts in Medi-cal" Los Angeles Times http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0731-lopez-stbarnabas-20110731,0,3448059.column
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