Bush Cuts Food Program for Women and Children

[Breeze54]

http://www.feminist.org/news/newsbyte/uswirestory.asp?id=10685">Bush Cuts Food Program for Women and Children

November 30, 2007

President Bush’s proposed budget for 2008 would cut half a million people from the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, which provides, among other things, food vouchers for low-income pregnant women, new mothers, and children.

Bush has proposed $5.4 billion in funding to serve about 8.3 million people. However, the caseload has increased to 8.5 million.
Also, prices for products like milk and cheese, which account for about 40% of WIC food costs, have increased. Because of that, the proposed spending level will cut about 500,000 people from the WIC program, reports http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-11-26-WIC_N.htm">USA Today.

WIC was created in 1974 and provides vouchers for nutritious foods, counseling on healthy eating, and health care referrals to low-income pregnant women and new mothers, infants, and children under age five who are at nutritional risk. According to the
http://www.cbpp.org/11-27-07fa.htm">Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, WIC has been acclaimed for its effectiveness in reducing the incidence of low-weight births, reducing child anemia, and improving nutrition and health outcomes.

Media Resources: USA Today 11/27/07; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

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Well; isn't that "special"? :grr:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Of course it's SPECIAL!

There's all these multi-millionares that need tending, doncha know? :eyes:

Just kick the women and children to the curb!

Why ever not???!!!

:grr:

[debbierlus]

2. This programs only gives the very BASICS to maintain adequate nutrition

To breastfeeding women & infants....

Oh, how they love the fetus, & oh, how they LOATHE the child.

That is sick.

[Gormy Cuss]

6. WIC is nutritional HeadStart.

It has that very specific goal of minimizing malnutrition at the stages when it has the most impact on lifetime intellectual and physical well being. It's perhaps the most success food & nutrition program in terms of payback per dollar spent. Repeated program evaluations rate it very highly. More money should go to the program, not less.

[proud2BlibKansan]

39. And did you know he cut Head Start funding also?

[Breeze54]

7. Well, if they can do this...more will suffer and die! So...

that means less money they have to shell out for schools and education too! :sarcasm:

It's a win-win for the GOP! :grr:

I'm looking to see if there is a petition against this.

If any of you find one, please post it!

[Viva_La_Revolution]

12. There were times when my kitchen only had WIC items in it...

That program is a god-send.

* is the Devil :mad:

[Breeze54]

15. It is a great program for the poor and low income families.

I used the program too and it saved my ass and filled my sons' belly many a time!

Especially when the child support payments didn't arrive, which was standard! :grr:

[Reno.Muse]

18. That was my experience too. Bush and his cronies need more for war.

[Breeze54]

53. It's a supplement and covers children up to the age of five yrs old.

They also provide eggs, cereal, bread, fruit juice, peanut butter besides infant formula, cheese, milk, yogurt and other dairy products.

[Missy Vixen]

3. Those children only matter when they're in utero

It's time for a wave of these women and children to start appearing in the media. Then again, after what happened with the SCHIP examples, it'll be hard to find ANYONE that would willingly expose themselves and their lives to the jackals.

Julie

[WinkyDink]

4. How Christian of him.

[uppityperson]

5. k&r. WIC is a very good program, does a great thing for babys/young kids

it is really hard to take advantage of it and it does a good service. Cut WIC? Is the man insane? Yes, more women and children will be applying for it as income drops. So, it is a really good thing, gets basics of protein, iron and carbs to those who need it. And educational information.

[Prophet 451]

8. *sigh*

At this point, all one can say to each new outrage is "figures".

[femrap]

9. And they have the fucking gall to

call themselves 'pro-life.' Hypocrites. I wonder how many woman who are in such financial straits would choose to have an abortion if it were affordable to them.

These repugnants do not help poor women and their children. May Karma bite their collective asses so hard they bleed $20 bills! GRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

[kimmylavin]

10. So are *'s directives now coming STRAIGHT FROM THE DEVIL?

Was THIS the deal he had to make to get into the White House?

[derby378]

11. "Hey, Blackwater mofos gotta get paid, bitch..."

That's it in a nutshell. Herr Decider wants to take from poor families and put their meager provisions in the hands of those making a killing on Iraq. Follow the money, ladies and gentlemen...

[Breeze54]

13. 'Grabbing food from mouths of babies' and heat! ( choosing guns over butter)

http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/12090/1/400">Grabbing food from mouths of babies

Bush veto puts nutrition, home heating programs on chopping block

WASHINGTON —

This is the season for feasting and good cheer. But President Bush, like Ebenezer Scrooge, is waging a mean crusade to force more than half a million poor women, infants and children off the WIC nutrition program.

The Coalition on Budget and Policy Priorities charged in a Nov. 27 report that Bush’s veto of an omnibus domestic spending bill Nov. 14 “could cause half a million low-income, pregnant women, infants and children to be denied nutritional benefits in one of the nation’s most effective programs.”

Zoe Neuberger, co-author of the report, decried Bush’s veto as “penny wise and pound foolish.” The WIC program “has a very, very strong track record” in providing vital nutrition to pregnant and lactating women and to children, she told the World. “There is a very large body of research documenting the health benefits, improved birth outcomes, reduced child anemia and better diets for the women and children enrolled in WIC.”

The report charges that WIC is the victim of Bush’s “guns over butter” budget priorities. “Given the level of funding being provided for the defense, homeland security and international appropriations bills, the amount of funding left within the president’s $933 billion limit for the eight domestic appropriations bills is $16.4 billion below the level provided 2007, adjusted for inflation,” said the report.

Bush proposed only $5.387 billion to serve the 8.28 million enrolled in the WIC program, far below the level needed to pay for sharply higher food prices. Bush’s proposal also did not factor in the rising demand for WIC as the economy worsens and unemployment rises.

By contrast, the House approved $5.6 billion for WIC and the Senate $5.7 billion. While both measures would serve roughly a quarter million more recipients than Bush, they would still require cutting about 235,000 recipients.

The House on Nov. 15 fell only two votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to override Bush’s veto. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said that Congress will put together a package that will include all the domestic spending measures Bush has vetoed but reduce by half the $22 billion in funding Congress had proposed above Bush’s budget.

SNIP-->

Deborah Weinstein, executive director of the Coalition on Human Needs, argued strongly against that compromise. “We don’t care how it is packaged,” she told the World. “What is key is the level of support for these vital programs. We have gone through seven years of cuts. We need to rebuild and invest in these programs, not cut them.”

She urged voters to seek meetings with their representatives to demand they push for full funding. She cited as an example the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Even as home heating prices are skyrocketing and family income for the poor is eroding, Bush’s veto would strip 1.4 million households of LIHEAP benefits; 1.2 million people will lose access to community health centers; 173,000 people will lose job training and 34,000 children will be denied Head Start.

More....

[Theres-a]

14. Jesus wept.

And that hideous bastard and his filthy money will be the picture of health riding his bike and jogging thru Paraguay avoiding war crimes and, might I add crimes against humanity.I want to vomit from the hypocrisy.Really.

[Reno.Muse]

16. Time to cut the Department of Defense and war spending so kids can eat!

[flashl]

33. I agree. n/t

[windoe]

17. Are our Reps being controlled by

an evil overlord? To enable the most corrupt administration, and allow these kinds of laws to be passed with absolutely no participation from the citizenry is collusion.

[AnneD]

19. What...have these babies end up....

nutritionally as brain damaged as he is. Good God almighty-why isn't impeachment on the table. It is stuff like this that makes me hate the DEM's more than the GOP. It's time to put the ball in that bastards court.

[Breeze54]

21. Almost all Dems voted to over ride this!

7 Dems didn't vote!

http://www.chn.org/pdf/2007/lhhsoverride.pdf

[AnneD]

25. Let's start naming names and calling out those Dem's....

( I couldn't tell easily). I don't worry about the abstensions....most have paired their votes or made damn sure the measure would pass without their votes.

[Breeze54]

28. They all abstained...

I think because of the Dream Act but I'm not sure.

It was attached as an amendment.

[Breeze54]

20. Hold Your Rep. Accountable for His/Her Vote on Labor-HHS-Ed Appropriations Override Vote!

Please send them a letter!

-----------

Hold Your Rep. Accountable for His/Her Vote on Labor-HHS-Ed Appropriations Override Vote!

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/125/t/3748/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=21829

The House was two votes shy from rejecting the President's veto of the appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. The vote was 277-141. A two-thirds majority of Representatives present and voting is needed to override a veto - in this case 279 were needed.

Let your Rep. know how much this bill means to you.

Use this form to send your Rep. an email expressing your gratitude or disappointment
for the way s/he voted on this critical measure.
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/125/t/3748/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=21829

Sample Messages to send your Rep.
http://www.chn.org/pdf/2007/overridemsgs.pdf

Click here to see how your Rep. voted
http://www.chn.org/pdf/2007/lhhsoverride.pdf

(To find your Rep's name enter your zip code on the upper left side of this page.)

------------------

110th Congress / Bills / H R 3043

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/110/bills/h_r_3043/

* Question: Passage, Objections of the President Not Withstanding

* Bill: H R 3043

* Vote description: Making Appropriations for the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services,
and Education, and Related Agencies for Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2008, and for Other Purposes

* Vote type: 2/3 Yea-and-Nay (Help)
A two-thirds majority of those present and voting is required for approval or passage.
Used for suspension calendar bills in the House and certain Senate votes.

* Result: Failed, 277-141, with 15 not voting.

* Date/time: November 15, 2007, 9:41 p.m.

* Republican majority opinion: No (Help)
The position of more than 50 percent of voting Republicans.
"None" means an equal split between "Yes" and "No."

* Democrat majority opinion: Yes (Help)
The position of more than 50 percent of voting Democrats.
"None" means an equal split between "Yes" and "No."

Vote totals

Party --------- Yes ---- No --- Not Voting

Democratic ---- 226 ---- 0 ------ 7

Republican ----- 51 --- 141 ------ 8

[usaftmo]

22. According to the first link you provided,

Kucinich didn't vote. Why not? He's the only one in that category that has a good chance of getting the Democratic nomination next year. This is a great way to show that shrub cares about unborn children only; once that child is born...the child and parents are on their own.

:grr:

[Breeze54]

23. I don't know why.

Did you check his website to find out why?

I'm wondering if there was something else attached to this over ride vote.

On it's face, it's infuriating.

[usaftmo]

26. Haven't looked into why Kucinich didn't vote;

he could've been out campaigning. For something this important I'd make it a point to be there to vote, if for no other reason to show support for families struggling to make ends meet.

My Representative (VA 1st District) passed away in early October. So far no announcement has been made on a replacement. Perhaps the Governor has the authority to appoint someone until that 2 year term ends. Personally I've had thoughts on seeking that position after I retire from the military (in 3 and a half years).

One thing going against me is most of the population in that District is in Hampton and Newport News. I'm from Arlington; so I would be a complete stranger to the voters of that District.

[Breeze54]

24. Could the 'Dream Act" be the reason?? - Ted Kennedy also abstained!

Senate Amendment Would Threaten Federal Programs; Tell Your Senator to Vote "No."

http://www.ombwatch.org/article/blogs/entry/4108

Sen. Wayne Allard☼ (R-CO) has introduced an amendment to the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill (H.R. 3043) that would threaten the budgets of important federal programs. The amendment would tie a program's budget to the White House Office of Management and Budget's Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) — a flawed measure of a program's effectiveness and efficiency.

Allard's amendment would make PART ratings a trigger for budget cuts. If a program is rated "ineffective" by OMB assessors, the budget of that program would be automatically cut by 10 percent.

Imagine the possibilities. If the White House opposed a certain program — even if that program was an exemplar of government virtue and efficiency — OMB could deem the program "ineffective," leading to across the board budget cuts.

more...

--------------

http://www.opencongress.org/roll_call/show/2050

[SeattleGirl]

27. Gotta love that "compassionate conservatism", don't ya?

Leading more and more people to desperation.

[Breeze54]

29. Yea, right on time for the holidays.

:grr:

I sent a letter to my reps though.

[SeattleGirl]

30. Bastard! This just makes me sick.

And yet he's screaming for congress to approve billions more dollars for the "War on Terra".

Calls it "emergency funding."

Hey George, what's more of an emergency: more money for you and your buddies to pocket away, or feeding people who have little or nothing?

Never mind; don't answer that. I already know what you'd say. :grr:

[Vinca]

31. Cutting money for food, cutting money for heat . . .

but save each and every embryo so they can be born into Bushworld and endure a slow, agonizing death.

[Breeze54]

32. That seems to be the plan.

And he wants an increase in his war funding so he can kill even more!!! :grr:

[GCP]

34. Short range thinking

If the kids don't get good nutrition, the future cannon fodder will be scrawny and weak.

[Breeze54]

35. Or be non-existent OR

be more willing to enlist so they can be where the food is!

:grr:

[Cha]

36. fucking

motherfucker.

[fed-up]

37. my infant is now 6' tall thanks in part to the wic program-was a life saver for a year or two nt

[BigBearJohn]

38. Odd that he NEVER has too much money for war -- but should his own citizens need help, oh no. No $$

[Rex]

40. Well, 500,000 people are a small price to pay for keeping 'them'

over 'there' so we don't have to fight 'them' over 'here'. See the logic in that? More starving poor people = more freedoms in Iraq.

[JBoy]

41. Babs no doubt thinks this is a good idea

With today's problems with obesity, these women and children weren't as healthy as they should be, so it's actually working out very well for them.

[NastyRiffraff]

42. Bush is cutting the program BECAUSE it works

I think WillPitt said it, and I agree...have thought this for a long time. Bush cuts government programs precisely because they work. Same reason he wants to "reform" Social Security, which is a program that has saved millions from poverty. Government programs must not work, because that would go against the Republican ideology, which is that government must be small, except for the military/defense. And one way to ensure they no longer work is to starve them. If people are hurt, hey, sorry about that, but the ideology must be shown to be true.

[Breeze54]

43. That's a 'given' in my book.

Thanks for pointing it out though.

Yup! They want smaller government and that's been their quest for the last 20 + years!

Except when it comes the The War Machine then all bets off!

Idiots. :grr:

[Xenotime]

44. Because of him peopel die.

[AlCzervik]

45. if those women could figure how to not give birth they'd be all set, love the fetus, hate the child.

[Blue_In_AK]

46. Am I correct that this is a "proposed" budget cut?

I'm assuming (hoping) that the Democrats in Congress will not let this stand. WIC is an excellent program, difficult to abuse. As usual, having never wanted for anything in his life, ** has little empathy for those less fortunate than he (99% of the population). Fuck him.

[Breeze54]

47. No.

The House on Nov. 15 fell only two votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to override Bush’s veto.

See post # 13 for more details and links.

He's such a PIG!!! :grr:

[Blue_In_AK]

48. Thanks, Breeze, I missed that the first time.

Jesus H. Christ. The home heating program, too??

Will this eight years EVER be over, and will we ever recover? This is so depressing.

[Breeze54]

49. YW! -- Please sign this letter, okay?

Hold Your Rep. Accountable for His/Her Vote on Labor-HHS-Ed Appropriations Override Vote!

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/125/t/3748/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=21829

Also from a post above.... # 20

[Blue_In_AK]

50. I am in shock...

My good-for-not-much representative, Don Young (R-AK), actually voted yes on this. It's obvious he has some strong competition for his seat next year. Alaskans, especially in the Bush, rely quite a bit on these programs ... e.g., this statement from last year's Alaska Federation of Natives convention.

• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program: Alaska Natives living in rural Alaska pay some of the highest prices in the country for fuel, oil and gasoline and many live near or below the poverty level. Because of the extreme weather conditions in Alaska, families living in rural communities in Alaska require substantial amounts of energy for home heating. The recent, dramatic increase in the cost of fuel, oil and gasoline in rural Alaska is having a dramatic impact on limited household and community financial resources, creating conditions that threaten public health and safety, reduce basic services, negatively impact the capabilities of school districts to provide quality education, and threaten the economic viability of rural Alaska families and communities. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has existed for more than 25 years to assist those at or near poverty level with payments to their home energy bills during difficult winter months. For FY 2006, the President’s proposed budget for LIHEAP was nearly 10 percent less than 2005, yet energy costs, including the cost of home heating fuel, have increased as much as 140% over last year’s level. With heating costs predicted to rise up to 50%, and with hurricane victims still struggling to restore energy services in new or temporary homes, millions of low-income Americans are expected to have an unprecedented need for home energy assistance. AFN urges the Congress to fund LIHEAP in FY 2007 in an amount sufficient to meet the needs of all currently eligible recipients.

[Breeze54]

52. Maybe he saw 'the light'?

That's good for the low income people even if he is worried about being re-elected.

His possible defeat seems like his incentive though.

[MadMaddie]

51. And this my friends is why it is imperative to impeach him

yes it may be only 1 year...but Tax Paying Americans will continue to lose ground and suffer under his rule....

He is going to destroy anything and everything he can...