A budget is a moral document that reflects our country’s values, but Congress is moving to cut hundreds of billions of dollars from our critical safety net programs. The budget proposal stands to cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by $230 billion, threatening over 41 million Americans who received food stamps last year. The proposal would also cut Medicaid by $880 billion, threatening health care for over 72 million people. These cuts would be used to fund tax breaks and harmful immigration and refugee policies, including mass deportations and inhumane detentions. Tell Congress to pass a moral budget and oppose policies that harm vulnerable members of our communities.
Jewish Values
Judaism is clear about our responsibility to pursue economic justice and uplift the vulnerable. Proverbs 31:9 teaches that we must “speak up, judge righteously, and champion the poor and the needy.” Moreover, Exodus Rabbah 31:14 reminds us that "if all other troubles were placed on one side and poverty on the other, poverty would outweigh them all." We must speak up for a budget that champions our social service programs to reduce poverty and protect the vulnerable in our communities.
At the same time, our tradition persistently reaffirms the dignity of immigrants. More than any other commandment in the Torah, we are reminded 36 times to “love the stranger.” Leviticus 19:33-34 instructs: “When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong them. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love them as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”
For More Information
For more information, visit the RAC's pages on economic justice and healthcare or contact Eisendrath Legislative Assistants Eric Goldberg and Olivia Kogan.
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