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Dear Mr. Bush,
Two weeks ago, you gave a speech suggesting a commitment to doing something about racism and poverty. But now your real agenda is showing through.
Republicans in Congress have proposed paying for the reconstruction of the Gulf Coast by cutting almost half a trillion dollars from Medicare, Medicaid, and school lunches for needy children. On Tuesday, a handful of them blocked a bill to provide health insurance to poor people displaced by the hurricane. You've remained silent, and you continue to refuse to ask the wealthiest Americans to step up and chip in, insisting that your tax breaks for the wealthiest stay intact.
Taken together, your party's policies mean one thing: that the poor will do without, while the rich make no sacrifices. This is shameful. After what we've seen on television, no decent person could possibly suggest that this is a time to give tax breaks to rich people and cut programs that help the poor.
We are writing to insist that you immediately:
- Agree not to cut a single penny from the social safety net to pay for rebuilding New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, and
- Rebuke those members of Congress who are standing in the way of emergency health care for the victims of Katrina.
More than enough money to fund the reconstruction is available; just roll back your tax cuts to the wealthiest 1% of us!
You have a chance to back up your words with action. In this time of mourning and crisis, you must publicly announce that you, as president, will stand by programs to aid the most needy and vulnerable among us.
Sincerely,
The undersigned members of ColorOfChange.org
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