Administration Cuts Affect Homeless: Surprised?!

Let me begin by saying I only know enough to be dangerous and am willing to listen as objectively as possible to alternatives.

Call me a bleeding heart liberal but the following article is disturbing. Though why after 8 years I would continue to be surprised, I have no idea. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in a secure country but I think our security should be wrapped in warm blankets and food on the table not in body bags flown from Baghdad.

For anyone who has helped with the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN), the second paragraph is frightening. Recent discussions with friends who work for the Veteran’s Affairs Administration warn of a crisis not only for veteran’s who are currently enrolled in services, but a crisis for those who return with needs far greater for far longer. I do indeed appreciate the sacrifices our service people make. They volunteer for this hell. There are those who say if they volunteer, “they” know what they are in for. It would seem to me if our Commander in Chief has the wherewithal to call for troops, he darn well ought to back up their “volunteer” care. It needs to be noted that benefits enjoyed (rightly so) by full time army personnel are NOT often open to National Guard and reserve troops. Healthcare, housing subsidies and other benefits are simply not offered. Since the reserve was not designed to serve as they are currently serving, those troops perhaps rely on regular employment in the civilian world to take care of some of those needs. I don’t know the whys of this but am outraged by the consequences of short sightedness.

By the way, did you know disability insurance excludes injuries caused by war? Just an FYI.

It appears the Administration can indeed say truthfully they increased funding, yet with our economy slowing exponentially and jobs losing benefits, this will not be enough to handle any variation of any economic indicator that will affect those on the margins.

Jesus tells us the poor will always be with us but we are also reminded that when we feed, clothe, or attend to one of these, we also tend to the Christ.

See below and for more:

http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/article/detail/1881

The Administration released its proposed budget for fiscal year (FY) 2009 on February 4. It proposes an increase for the Department of Defense, cuts to health care programs, and about $2.4 billion less for domestic discretionary programs other than Homeland Security. Domestic discretionary programs include most of the housing, human service, veterans, education, and infrastructure programs that help low-income people. After
accounting for inflation, these programs would be cut by 4 percent from last year.

Funding for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD's) McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Grants would increase by $50 million (3 percent), much less than is necessary even to keep up with increasing renewals of permanent supportive housing. The proposal does not include a prisoner reentry initiative, which the Administration proposed in previous years, or a rapid re housing for families initiative which was funded by Congress last year. The budget for Section 8 includes $75 million for additional HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers, which should fund an additional 8,000-10,000 vouchers for homeless veterans.

Many mainstream housing and services programs would be cut substantially. Housing Choice Voucher funding is $1.3 billion less than is needed to continue housing families that are currently assisted. The shortfall could result in at least 100,000 vouchers not being renewed. The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program would be cut by $659 million, or almost 20 percent. The $654 million Community Services Block Grant, which alleviates the causes and conditions of poverty, would be eliminated. The budget also proposes to cut Medicaid by $18 billion over 5 years.

The Administration's budget is a proposal. Congress will make decisions on actual Funding levels later this year.

Super .......Cold

It is Super Tuesday. And want to know what happens to my Super delegates for John Edwards? Do they just go away? Or get fought over at the convention? I missed that part of civics, I think.

And I have a Super Cold. Those who know me know I have a super cold. I have complained, lamented, and generally whined about it since Sunday. I hate being congested. I must have a recessed memory of being smothered in the womb or something.

One of the top ten things I plan on asking the Creator when I get to the other side is, how is it that such a small orifice can wreak such havoc? I get rid of “stuff” only to have an oh so brief moment of air and boom….more “stuff”. I did manage to get to the health center today only to promise hell and half of Georgia to the Nurse Practioner if she would give me some decongestant that worked. So I have some big time breathing relief but a cough from the bad place. So I will go for some meds for that next…..

Another thing that a cold does is get me banished to what I am now calling “The Cave”. We have a guest room off of our room. It is an odd shaped room and dark as pitch. We have recently had ideas of making it a study, which serves it well. But in its darkness, it is now “The Cave”. Where I lay breathing. My smothered breath and tortured cough. The darkness surrounds me and closes in and I hear a voice in the distance. It’s Heidi…from outside The Cave.

“Can you take out the garbage before it storms?”

Well, ok.