Nuns’ shared-sacrifice pitch rings true
FPL provided media support for the “Nuns on the Bus” tour
“Nuns on the Bus” came to Cedar Rapids a few days ago on their national bus tour to call attention to a Republican congressional budget plan that they insist would “decimate” the social safety net.
The plan’s author, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, contends that his budget blueprint was informed by his Catholic faith and teachings. The nuns begged to differ. “My astute political analysis was ‘liar, liar pants on fire,’” said Sister Simone Campbell of the Washington D.C.-based social services lobbying group Network.
The nuns’ basic argument is that broad cuts or changes in social programs such as Medicare and food assistance proposed by Ryan’s plan would deny millions of Americans access to the help they need in tough economic times. And they question the contention that charities and churches can make up the gap. For one thing, many churches and charities partner with the government to provide programs, and would struggle without that help. Campbell said Bread for the World, a faith-based anti-hunger advocacy group, estimates that every religious congregation in the country would have to raise $50,000 annually to just make up for the proposed cut in food assistance.
